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The  Improvement  Era  December  1957 


.....      _,.; 


~yj  ^  The  Gift  that  Gives... and  Lives  Forever 

The  Holy  Bible 


.  ■■       -: 


AUTHORIZED     KING     JAMES     VERSION 


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See  inside  back  cover 
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THE    WORLD    PUBLISHING    COMPANY  •  Bible  Publishers  to  America  'CLEVELAND    2,    OHIO 


by  Dr.  Franklin  S.  Harris,  Jr. 

Stereophonic  Sound 

A  new  connoisseur  stereophonic 
development  by  A.  R.  Sugden  of 
England  uses  a  single  groove  to  re- 
cord two  sounds  on  a  disk.  One  of 
the  sounds  is  recorded  by  lateral  or 
sideways  motion,  the  other  by  verti- 
cal motion  (as  in  the  "hill  and  dale" 
method  of  the  old  Edison  records). 


Ten  New  Kinds 

Chemical  synthesis  of  penicillin 
has  now  been  accomplished  at  Mas- 
sachusetts Institute  of  Technology 
by  Professor  John  C.  Sheehan  and 
Research  Associate  K.  R.  Henery- 
Logan.  Ten  new  kinds  are  being 
tested  for  possible  medical  use. 


Use  of  Water 

The  daily  per  capita  use  of  water 
in  the  US  varies  from  60  gallons  for 
each  person  in  small  communities  to 
as  much  as  300  to  500  gallons  in 
some  cities.  In  1950  the  municipal 
water  systems  supplied  an  average 
of  145  gallons  a  day  per  person. 
Water  requirements  for  20  of  the 
largest  industries  add  up  to  over  21 
billion  gallons  each  day.  For  farms, 
homes,  factories,  and  business  estab- 
lishments in  1950  an  estimated  170 
billion  gallons  of  water  each  day 
were  withdrawn  from  the  ground, 
lakes,  or  streams. 


DECEMBER  1957 


SMART     NEW 


CH 


OCOLATEffcttgttitt 


COOKIES 

by  PURITY 


Smartly  dressed  up 
like  their  namesake, 
with  white  cocoanut 
cream  and  dark  rich 
Ambrosia  chocolate. 

They're  really  like  a 
fine  confection  in 
flavor  and  character. 

Your  favorite  grocery 
store  has  them  now. 


c 


oco^ ,  e 


PURITY  BISCUIT  CO. 


bv  PURITY 


Salt  Lake      •      Phoenix      •      Pocatello 


885 


The  Improvement  Era,  The  Voice  of  the  Church,  Volume  60,  No.  12,  December  1957. 


Official  organ  of  the  priesthood  quorums,  Mutual  Improvement  Associations,  ward 
teachers,  Music  Committee,  Department  of  Education,  and  other  agencies  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints. 


Church  Features 

Editor's  Page:    The  Man  of  Nazareth  President  David  O.  McKay  898 

Your  Question:    Translated  Beings— Part  II 

President  Joseph  Fielding  Smith  900 

"Eye  Hath  Not  Seen"  Harold  B.  Lee  902 

"Respect  for  Authority"  ( Family  Hour  Discussion  Topic ) 

Delbert  L.  Stapley  914 

Jesus  Returns  to  Jerusalem— MIA  Reading  Course:    Jesus  the  Christ— 

XVIII  Doyle  L.  Green  918 

The  Church  Moves  On,  895;  Melchizedek  Priesthood,  Common  Sense  Wins  Converts,  932; 
Presiding  Bishopric's  Page,  934. 

Special  Features 

Thoughts  for  Your  Inspirational  Talk:    Gifts  and  Giving  905 

Christmas  in  the  Holy  Land  Alice  Colton  Smith  906 

The  Dead  Sea  Scrolls  and  Their  Significance  for  Latter-day  Saints 

(First  of  two  parts)  Dr.  Sidney  B.  Sperry  910 

Letter  from  a  Serviceman  913 

Christmas,  Christmas  Beverly  Turley  921 

A  Reading  Christmas— A  Joyous  Christmas  922 

Leadership  Development:   "Operation  Andrew"  Sterling  W.   Sill  924 

Missionary  Helps:   The  Scriptural  Formula  Gordon  T.  Allred  926 

The  Spoken  Word  from  Temple  Square  Richard  L.  Evans  958,  969 

Exploring  the  Universe.  Dr.  Franklin  S.  Harris,  Jr.,  885;  These  Times:   Knowledge  and 
Power,  Dr.  G.  Homer  Durham,  890. 


Today's  Family:    Christmas  and  Children 

Three  Christmas  Gifts 

Bookrack 

Letters  and  Reports 

The  Last  Word 


Thais  T.  Williams  962 

Mildred  Goff  966 

967 

892 

972 


Stories,  Poetry 

No  Room  at  the  Inn 
To  Be  a  King-IX 
Poetry 


Frances  Yost  916 

Hugh  J.  Cannon  928 

904,  909,  913,  920,  930,  947,  954,  958,  969 


David  O.  McKay  and  Richard  L.  Evans,  Editors;  Doyle  L.  Green,  Managing  Editor; 
Marba  C.  Josephson,  Associate  Managing  Editor;  Elizabeth  J.  Moffitt,  Production  Editor; 
Albert  L.  Zobell,  Jr.,  Research  Editor;  Eileen  Gibbons,  Manuscript  Editor;  Gordon  T. 
Allred,  Editorial  Associate;  Ralph  Reynolds  and  Ed  Maryon,  art  directors. 

Archibald  F.  Bennett,  G.  Homer  Durham,  Franklin  S.  Harris,  Jr.,  Milton  R.  Hunter, 
Hugh  Nibley,  Claude  B.  Petersen,  Sidney  B.  Sperry,  Contributing  Editors. 

Elbert  R.  Curtis,  General  Manager;  Bertha  S.  Reeder,  Associate  Manager;  Verl  F. 
Scott,  Business  Manager;  A.  Glen  Snarr,  Subscription  Director;  Thayer  Evans,  Regional 
Advertising  Representative. 

The  Improvement  Era  Offices,  50  North  Main  Street,  Salt  Lake  City  16,  Utah 

Copyright   1957  by   Mutual   Funds,   Inc.,   and   published   by   the  Mutual  Improvement  Associations  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 

of  Latter-day  Saints.     All  rights  reserved.     Subscription  price,  $2.50  a  year,   in  advance;   foreign  subscriptions,   $3.00   a  year,  in 

advance;  25c  single  copy. 

Entered   at   the   Post    Office,    Salt    Lake    City,    Utah    as    second-class   matter.      Acceptance   for   mailing   at   special  rate   of  postage 

provided  for  in   section   1103.     Act  of   October   1917,   authorized  July  2,   1918. 

The  Improvement  Era  is  not  responsible  for  unsolicited  manuscripts,   but  welcomes  contributions.      Manuscripts   are  paid   for  on 

acceptance  at  the  rate   of   l!5c  a   word   and  must  be  accompanied  by  sufficient  postage  for  delivery  and  return. 

Thirty   days'  notice  required  for  change  of  address.      When   ordering  a  change,   please  include   address   slip  from  a  recent  issue 

of  the  magazine.     Address  changes  cannot  be  made  unless  the  old  address  as  well  as  the  new  one  is  included. 


Cover— "The    Virgin    Mary 
Adoring    the   Infant    Christ" 
by  Correggio  (1494-1534), 
reproduced  in  full  color, 
is  our  December  cover. 
This  begins  a  series  of 
masterpieces    of    religious 
art  to  be  taken  from  galleries 
in  many  parts  of  the  world. 
This  painting  is  used  by 
courtesy  of  Calleria  degli 
Uffizi,   Florence,   Italy. 


Picture  credits  and  footnotes,  page  971. 


Member,  Audit  Bureau  of  Circulations 


886 


THE  IMPROVEMENT   ERA 


1.     PATHWAYS  TO  HAPPINESS 

By  David  0.  McKay 

Compiled  by  Llewelyn  R.  McKay 

Here's   one   of   the   most   exciting  new- 
comers to  the  L.D.S.  books  field  .  .  .  ready 
for  you  to  give  this  Christmas.    This 
vital  volume  by  President  McKay,  reveals 
the    path   which    must    be    followed 
by  each  individual  if  true  happiness  is 
to  be  found.    In  this  outstanding  com- 
pilation, are  found  the  guideposts  which 
point  the  way  to  a  full  rich   life   .   .  . 
with  directions  written  with  wisdom  and 
beauty  to   inspire  the  soul   of  man. 
Influences  such  as  education,  courtship 
and  marriage,  free  agency,  death,  labor 
unions,  heredity,  home  life,  and  personal 
aspirations  are  discussed  with  skill  and 
imagination,  revealing  the  profound 
thoughts,  noble  emotions,  and  keen  in- 
sight of  the  author.    A  significant  and 
enriching  addition  to  any  library.       $3.95 


2.     DO  UNTO  OTHERS 


By  Carl  W.  Buehner 

Down  to  earth  and  practical  in  its  approach  .  .  .  lofty 

and  inspirational  in  its  contents,  this  brand  new  book 

reflects  the  great  love  of  the  author  for  God  and 

humanity.  Intriguing  stories,  rare  experiences  in  the 

South  Sea  Islands,  counseling  on  ward  teaching,  choice 

General  Conference  addresses,  and  select  writings  of 

Bishop  Buehner  combine  to  renew  one's  faith  in  his 

neighbors,  workers  and  associates.    Light,  easy  reading 

.  .  .  possessing  great  impact.  $2.00 


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MORMON 


A  PICTORIAL  ACCOUNT  OF  MORMONISM 

By  Rulon  S.  Howells 

Here  is  a  rare  treasure  that  should  be  a  part  of 
every  Latter-day  Saint's  library.    It  is  the  long- 
awaited  picture  story  of  Mormonism  .   .  .   there  is 
no  other  book  like  it!    Hundreds  of  rare  photo- 
graphs of  early  Church  stalwarts  and  historical 
sites  .  .  .  beautiful,  awe-inspiring  full-color  paintings 
of  Joseph  Smith's  first  vision  and  the  receiving 
of  the  gold  plates  from  the  Angel  Moroni  .  .  . 
skillful  illustrations  of  important  events  .  .  .  charts 
and  maps   of  organization  and  growth  ...   all 
combine  in  this  unique  volume  to  graphically 
portray  Mormonism.    Children  will  be  fascinated 
with  this  picture  story  .  .  .  adults  will  be  thrilled 
and  inspired.   A  tremendous  aid  for  teaching  and 
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THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


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STOJOES' 


COURAGE 


.     FINDING  YOUR  FOREFATHERS 
IN  AMERICA 

By  Archibald  F.  Bennett 

Successful  genealogical  research  is  the  result  of  a  care- 
fully   laid    plan    .    .    .    and    in    this    skillfully   written 
volume  is  found  the  know-how  to  become  a  skilled 
researcher.       Richly     illustrated     throughout     3  5 
chapters,    this    book    will    help    the    reader    to 
train    himself    in    the    principles    of    scientific 

genealogical    research   which    will    bring 
gratifying  results.    Must-reading  for  all 
interested  in  finding  their  forefathers 
in  America.  $3*95 


5.     LD.S.  STORIES  OF  FAITH 
AND  COURAGE 

By  Preston  Nibley 

Young  and    old    alike   love    a    good    story 
and  stories  with  a  moral  teach  with  an 
unequalled  effectiveness.    Here   is  a  particularly 
outstanding  compilation  of  faith-promoting  ad- 
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to  build  courage,  integrity,  resourcefulness,  and 
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studies.  $2.25 


6.     ABOUT  BAPTISM  V"/^ 

By  Emma  Marr  Petersen 

The  wonderful  adventure  stories  that  happen  in  the  life  of 
a  little  orphan  boy  from  Denmark  subtly  tell  the  entire  story  of  baptism 
as  practiced  in  the  L.D.S.  Church.  Here  is  a  unique  method  to  prepare 
children  for  baptism,  for  the  author  skillfully  weaves  sound  gospel  doc- 
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Please    send     the    following     circled    books    for    which 

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DECEMBER  1957 


889 


SAFEWAY 

IS  A  FRIEND 
OF  THE  FAMILY ...  AND 
A  FRIEND  OF  THE  FARMER 

Safeway  has  become  an  im- 
portant stabilizing  factor  in  the 
marketing  of  meat  in  Utah  and 
Idaho. 

A  tremendous  amount  of 
choice  meat,  over  $13,000,000  in 
1956,  is  sold  through  Utah  and 
Idaho  Safeway  Stores.  All  meat 
sold  in  these  Safeway  Stores  is 
produced  in  the  two  states  and 
purchased  from  the  25  leading 
packers  in  Utah  and  Idaho.  All 
packers  get  a  share  of  the  busi- 
ness every  week  at  prices  deter- 
mined by  the  packers  themselves. 

This  gives  the  packers  a  SURE 
market  and  tends  to  keep  meat 
prices  stable  for  the  benefit  of 
producers  and  packers. 

With  the  recent  sale  of  the 
meat  packing  plant  at  Nampa, 
Idaho,  Safeway  is  now  entirely 
and  completely  out  of  the 
slaughtering  and  cattle  feeding 
business.  All  meat  is  secured 
from  leading  Utah  and  Idaho 
packers  .  .  .  and  Safeway  buys 
only  the  BEST — only  govern- 
ment graded  U  S.  choice. 

This  is  just  one  more  way  that: 

SAFEWAY  IS  A  FRIEND 

OF  THE  FARMER 

as  well  as 

A  FRIEND  OF  THE  FAMILY 


SAFEWAY 


These  Times 


^ 


Knowledge  and  Power 

by  Dr.  G.  Homer  Durham 
Vice  President,   University   of  Utah 


A  new  era  in  man's  history  began 
Friday,  October  11,  1957,  with  the 
announcement  from  Moscow,  Russia, 
that  the  Soviet  Union  had  success- 
fully launched  the  first  man-made 
satellite,  and  that  it  was  circling  the 
earth  every  95  minutes,  560  miles 
above  the  surface.  The  news  about 
the  object,  22  inches  in  diameter  and 
weighing  184  pounds,  its  subsequent 
flight  and  history,  has  now  become 
part  of  the  record  of  science.  Inter- 
pretation of  the  first  data  available 
will  go  on  for  some  time.  The  possi- 
bilities for  new  scientific  theories, 
experiments,  and  achievements  are 
legion.  Their  technical  aspects  need 
not  detain  us  here.  New  textbooks, 
new  chapters  in  old  ones,  will  soon 
appear  to  occupy  the  minds  and 
efforts  of  new  generations. 

Leaving  the  technicalities,  what 
are  some  of  the  broader  possibilities 
flowing  from  this  event? 

1.  It  is  evident  that  a  revolution 
in  weapons-systems  is  occurring. 
Nikita  Khrushchev,  the  Russian 
leader,  on  October  7,  1957,  gave  his 
opinion  that  bomber  type  aircraft 
were  now  obsolete.  Whatever  truth 
or  misjudgment  may  be  involved  in 
that  opinion,  the  fact  of  the  weapons 
revolution  remains.  It  appears  to 
be  more  fundamental  than  the  in- 
vention of  gunpowder  and  firearms. 
There  have  been  "missiles"  since  the 
first  rock  was  thrown.  But  the  pos- 
sibilities of  a  rocket  that  can  hoist 
an  object  560  miles  above  the  earth's 
surface,  in  the  age  of  hydrogen  fis- 


890 


sion,  far  outrun  a  rock,  arrow,  bullet, 
bomb,  or  V-2. 

Brooks  Adams  published  his  Law 
of  Civilization  and  Decay  in  1895. 
Brilliant  scion  of  the  house  of 
John  and  John  Quincy  Adams, 
Brooks  argued  that  the  nature  of 
weapons  systems,  coupled  with  the 
human  motives  of  fear  and  greed, 
largely  determine  the  patterns  of 
society;  for  example,  when  offensive 
weapons  seem  to  have  the  advantage 
over  defense,  centralization  results; 
and  vice  versa.  Thus  before  gun- 
powder the  decentralized  feudal 
system  flourished  behind  the  moats 
and  walls  of  baronial  castles.  But 
with  the  coming  of  gunpowder,  the 
more  powerful  barons  became  kings, 
and  a  new  state-system  was  born. 

Centralization  of  power  has  in- 
creased since  that  time.  The  his- 
toric event  of  October  4,  1957,  in  the 
wake  of  H-bomb  tests,  dramatizes 
the  necessity  for  applying  the  best 
fruits  of  faith  and  reason  in  inter- 
national relations.  The  world  has 
suddenly  grown  very  small  again. 

2.  The  apparent  revolution  in 
weapons  of  attack  presents  the 
United  Nations  organization  in  a 
new  light.  The  political  challenge 
to  the  organs  of  the  UN,  in  develop- 
ing peaceful  co-operation,  in  harness- 
ing the  fruits  of  the  International 
Geophysical  Year  ( of  which  the  Rus- 
sian, US,  and  other  satellite  launch- 
ing plans  were  a  part),  is  apparent. 

3.  Particular  and  unique  responsi- 
bilities        ( Continued  on  page  957 ) 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


! 


A  NEW  AND  DIFFERENT  KIND  OF 
HOSPITAL-MEDICAL-SURGICAL  INSURANCE 

TO  AGE  SEVENTY-FIVE! 

YOU  MUST  COLLECT 


. . .  either  in  Benefits  or  in  Cash  Refund 


r+\  GREATLY  NEEDED  FEATURES  NEVER  BEFORE 
\SJ  COMBINED  IN  1  "HOSPITALIZATION"  POLICY' 


YOU  GET  ALL  THESE  ADVANTAGES: 


LL  It  cannot  be  cancelled  or  dis- 
continued by  the  company,  even  if 
you  become  a  "poor  risk" 

A  revolutionary  feature  for  a 
low  rate  accident  and  health 
policy:  only  you  can  cancel  the 
policy!  As  long  as  you  pay  the 
premiums,  the  policy  remains 
in  force  to  age  75  or  until  the 
full  face  value  has  been  paid. 

83*  Rates  cannot  be  raised.. ever! 

Even  if  you  insure  a  small 
child,  the  low,  low  infant  rate 
will  never  be  raised  when  he 
reaches  manhood  or  old  age. 


£>*lt  accumulates  "cash  value" 
for  you  or  your  heirs 

If  you  drop  this  policy  anytime 
after  the  second  year,  the  com- 
pany will  pay  you  a  contingent 
premium  refund  in  amounts 
which  are  plainly  printed  on 
the  policy.  If  you  die,  the  cash 
value  is  paid  to  your  heirs. 

4-i^  Benefits  never  can  be  reduced 

Benefits  listed  in  NC  701  can 
never  be  reduced.  The  policy 
remains— unchanged  —  until 
age  75  or  until  the  full  face  value 
has  been  paid  in  benefits. 


.AND  THEN   THIS   MONEY-BACK   REFUND! 


3<*  You  receive  the  full  face  value 
of  your  policy  in  benefits  or  refund! 

By  keeping  your  policy  in  force, 
you  must  collect  the  full  face 


value :  in  benefits  when  you  are 
sick  or  hurt,  in  cash  as  a  con- 
tingent premium  refund  if  you 
stay  well,  or  in  a  combination 
of  the  two  at  maturity. 


.WITH   ALL  THIS   PROTECTION,  TOO! 


C3*  All  five  of  the  costs  of  sickness 
or  accidental  injury  are  covered 

NC  701  pays  from  $3000  to 
$7500  for  women  and  from 
$2500  to  $5000  for  men  depend- 
ing on  your  age  at  time  of 
issuance.  It  includes  specified 
amounts  for: 

i.  Hospital  Room  and  Board, 
(including  general  nursing 
care). 

The  exact  amounts  available  are  clearly  printed  in  your  policy. 

The  only  limit  on  the  total  amount  you  can  collect  is  the  face 

value  of  the  policy.  Exceptions,  limitations  and  waiting  periods 

are  clearly  stated  in  the  policy. 

*Only  Bankers  Life  &  Casualty  Company  Offers  Policy  NC  701 
The  few  exceptions — mental  illness,  acts  of  war,  simple  rest  cures, 
etc., — are  clearly  stated  in  the  policy.  Hernia,  heart  disease, 
tuberculosis,  tonsilectomy,  etc.,  covered  when  originating  six 
months  after  issuance  of  the  policy.  Benefits  for  other  illnesses 
that  begin  30  days  after  date  of  policy ;  benefits  for  accidental 
injury  begin  from  the  first  day.  Policy  NC  701  is  not  yet  available 
in  all  states.  Send  name  today.  See  if  you  are  eligible. 

~  J  a  ©    8  I.  1 C.  C». 


2.  Doctor's  Bills  at  specified 
rates.  In  or  out  of  the  hos- 
pital. 

3.  Surgeon's  Fees  at  specified 
rates.  In  or  out  of  the  hos- 
pital. 

4.  Hospital  Extras  (oxygen, 
iron  lung,  ambulance  serv- 
ice, etc.). 

5.  Medicines  prescribed  by 
your  doctor.  In  or  out  of 
the  hospital. 


"And  John  says  that  if  he  stays  well, 
he  will  get  $5000.00  back!" 

AND  THAT  IS  ONLY  ONE  OF  THE  SIX  UN- 
USUAL. FEATURES  NEVER  BEFORE  OFFERED 
THE  AMERICAN  PUBLIC  AT  SUCH  LOW  RATES 

BANKERS  LIFE  &  CASUALTY  COMPANY 
again  dares  to  challenge  the  entire  Insurance 
Industry — by  offering  the  public  a  sickness  and 
accident  policy  so  different  that  every  reader  will 
want  to  get  every  detail  of  every  outstanding 
feature.  Forget  everything  you've  ever  heard 
about  "hospitalization"  insurance.  This  remark- 
able new  policy,  NC  701 — which  many  insurance 
experts  say  is  10  years  ahead  of  its  time — will  not 
only  help  pay  the  bills  when  you  are  sick  or  hurt: 
it  will  even  pay  you  money  back  if  you  stay  well! 
If  you  keep  your  policy  in  force,  you  must  collect 
every  cent  of  the  face  value — whether  you  are 
sick  or  well!  NC  701  is  guaranteed  renewable  to 
age  75  or  until  the  face  value  of  the  policy  has 
been  paid  to  you.  Mail  the  coupon  for  details  of 
the  benefits  and  costs  that  apply  at  your  present 
age.  There  is  no  charge  for  this  information  now 
or  ever,  and  no  obligation  to  buy. 

An  Old-Line  Legal  Reserve  Stock  Company 

OFFERING  LIFE  INSURANCE;  AND  BROAD  COVERAGE  ACCIDENT 

AND  HEALTH  POLICIES,  SOME  GUARANTEED  RENEWABLE 
AND  OTHERS  RENEWABLE  AT  OPTION  OF  THE  COMPANY  ONLY 

BANKERS  LIFE  &  CASUALTY  CO. 


HOME     OFFICE: 


J      CHICAGO     30,     ILL. 


MAIL  THIS  "FREE  INFORMATION"  COUPON 

This  is  not  a»  application  for  insurance.  It  is  merely 
your  request  lor  free  information.  No  obligation. 


BANKERS   LIFE   &   CASUALTY   COMPANY 

Dept.  2250 

4444  W.  Lawrence  Ave.,  Chicago  30,  Illinois 

Gentlemen:  Please  supply  me  with  information  on  rates 
and  benefits  available  to  me  under  your  new  policy 
NC  701.  I  understand  there  is  no  charge  or  obligation. 
I  was  born  in  the  year 

MR.,  MRS.,  or  MISS 

ADDRESS 

CITY 


ZONE  or 
_RR  f STATE. 


HOME  OFFICE:  CHICAGO  30,  ILLINOIS 


09-0127 


DECEMBER   1957 


891 


Cut  yourself  a 
bigger  piece  of 
the  money  pie! 


current  rate . . . 


Accounts  opened 
by  the  25th  of  the 
month  earn  from 
the  1  st 


Beehive^Security 


yiMItimrJA 


Brigham  S.  Young,  Jr.,  President,  Manager 
1625  South  Main  •  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

Approved  and  Regulated  by  the  Utah  State  Banking  Commission 


BEEHIVE  SECURITY  COMPANY 
1625  South  Main 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

Please  send  me  information  about  your  firm's  5%  percent  interest 
program. 

Name 

Address 

City State 


Letters 

and 

Reports 


Gerldine  Randall,  Grant  Ward, 
Rigby  ( Idaho )  Stake,  Junior  Gleaner, 
has  a  perfect  attendance  at  all  her 
meetings  for  the  past  four  years.  To 
achieve  this,  she  has  foregone  trips 
with  family  and  friends.  (Below, 
left) 


892 


Lois  Esther  Kraus  (above,  right) 
of  Mesa  Seventh  Ward,  East  Mesa 
(Arizona)  Stake,  has  not  missed  Mu- 
tual in  three  years.  But  that  is  only 
part  of  her  story:  she  had  a  perfect 
attendance  record  in  all  her  years  at 
Primary  and  has  an  eleven-year  per- 
fect attendance  record  at  both  Sac- 
rament meeting  and  Sunday  School. 
She  is  an  Honor  Bee,  Mia  Joy,  and 
historian  of  her  Mia  Maid  class. 


Columbia,  Tenn. 

Dear  Sir: 

The  Era  is  marvelous,  and  I  cer- 
tainly enjoy  receiving  and  reading 
it.  Each  month  I  look  forward  to 
my  next  copy.  The  changes  which 
have  been  made  in  it  have  really 
given  it  some  spice  and  made  it  even 
more  enjoyable  to  read. 

May  you  continue  to  publish  as 
wonderful  an  Era  in  the  future  as 
you  have  in  the  past. 

Sincerely    yours, 
Harry  Gammon 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


\  I  / 


m 


cms 


^4,\ 


ii^-  » 


OF    WORDS    AND    MUSIC    TO 


X- 


BRIGHTEN    YOUR 


"t\. 


,-v  vr 


Vol.  8 
Christmas  Gems 

A  priceless  collection 
of  all  time  Christ- 
mas favorites  in- 
cludes: Deck  The 
Halls,  Silent  Night, 
Come  All  Ye  Faith- 
ful, O  Holy  Night, 
etc.  $3.98 


Let  these  beautiful  12"  long- 
playing,  high  fidelity,  Century 
records  help  solve  your  Christ- 
mas gift  problems.  Brighten 
the  homes  of  friends  and  loved 
ones  this  holiday  season  with 
lovely  music  and  inspiring 
words.  Gifts  that  endure  are 
long  remembered. 


IMife» 


Vol.  7     A  Collection  of 
Treasured  Mormon  Hymns. 

This  album  will  be  treasured  by  all 
who  are  inspired  by  such  favorite 
Mormon  Hymns  as:  /  know  That 
My  Redeemer  Lives,  O  My  Father, 
Come,  Come  Ye  Saints,  etc.  $3.98 


OtTR       LEAD  E3  RB 
1"  O     ~X~OTJ*Ttt 


Vol.    16 
A    Our  Leaders  Speak 
~  To  Youth 

20  Testimonies  of  the 
General  Authorities  in- 
cluding Pres  David  O. 
McKay,  Stephen  L 
Richards,  Joseph  Field- 
ing Smith,  Matthew 
Cowley,  etc.  $3.98 


Vol.  9 
The   Mormon    Choir  of    k 
Southern  California       W 
200-voice  Choir  sings  se- 
lections performed  in  the 
L.A      Temple,    Holly 
wood  Bowl,  on  Radio  & 
TV  networks    $3.98 


Vol.    10 
Jessie  Evans  Smith 

Soloist  with  Tabernacle 
Choir  sings  sacred  songs 
by  A.  W  "Mickey" 
Hart:  The  Missionary. 
He  That  Hath  Clean 
Hands,  etc.  $3.98 

Vol.    13 
J.  Karl  Wood  Readings  k 
for   Latter-day  Saints     I 


Outstanding  readings 
narrated  by  Francis  Urry, 
Moroni  Olson,  Wendell 
Noble,  etc.  2-12"  records 


$3.98  per  set 


>S*, 


jAo.     Vol.   12     Belshazzar's  Feast 

The  combined  resources  of  the 
B.Y.U.  Music  Dept.  (600  partici- 
pants) perform  one  of  the  greatest 
choral  masterworks  of  the  cen- 
tury. $398 


Vol.   14     Oratorio  From  The   k 
Book  of  Mormon  " 

LeRoy  J.  Robertson's  famous 
musical  masterpiece.  The  Utah 
Symphony  Orchestra  and  com- 
bined choruses  of  the  Univ.  of 
Utah.  $3.98 


£f 


Vol.   3,  4,  5 

Organ 

Accompaniment  for 

L.D.S.  Hymns 

Now  you  can  have 
beautiful  organ  ac- 
companiment for 
your  group  on  best 
loved  L.D.S.  Hymns 
and  music  for  special 
occasions  Christmas, 
Easter,  Patriotic,  etc. 

$3.98  ea.  Vol. 


Other  Century  releases:  Vol.  1  —  The  B.Y.U.  Madrigal  Singers, 
Vol.  2  -  B.Y.U.  A  Capella  Choir,  Vol.  6  -  Young  Rhythm  (B.Y.U. 
Dance  Band),  Vol.  15 -Patriotic  Songs-B.Y.U.  Madrigal  Singers. 


"" I 


MUSIC  FOR 


DECEMBER   1957 


CENTURY  DISTRIBUTING  CO.     Box  308,  Saugus,  Calif. 

Gentlemen: 

Please   send    me  (postage   prepaid)  the  following  encircled  records: 

VOL.     1      2      3     4     5     6     7     8     9      10     12      13      14      15      16 

Enclosed  find  check  O,  money  order  Q,  in  the  amount  of  $ 

Name 

(Please  print) 


.Zone State- 


_J 


(California  Residents  add  4%  Sales  Tax) 


893 


Give  Yourself  a  Books  Club 
Mem  bersh  ip  for  Christmas .... 


•  • 


enjoy  choice  reading  all  year  long! 


rl  il 


"The  Mormon  Story,"  just  off  the  press  in  time  for  Christ- 
mas, will  bring  you  joy  and  happiness  long  after  the  holidays 
have  passed  ...  so  give  yourself  this  prized  gift  for  Christ- 
mas. Begin  your  LDS  Books  Club  membership  with  this 
rare  treasure  (or  any  of  the  alternates  listed  below)  .  .  .  and 
order  extra  copies  for  your  gift  list.  No  book  will  be  more 
appreciated!  We'll  mail  in  time  for  Christmas,  enclosing  a  card 
with  your  name.  And  if  you  order  at  least  four  books,  including 
the  one  for  yourself,  you  are  entitled  to  a  free  bonus  book  from 
the  list  below.  "The  Mormon  Story"  contains  hundreds  of 
rare  old  photographs,  beautiful  full-color  paintings,  and  an 
inspiring  text  to  explain  Mormonism  to  readers  of  all  ages. 
There  is  no  other  book  like  it. 


4 


HOW  THE   ClUB    PLAN   SAVES   YOU    20% 


T 


1.  With  every  four  books  you  buy  thru  the 
LDS  Books  Club,  you  receive  a  fifth  book  FREE 
as  a  bonus  book  .  .  .  thus  you  get  five  choice 
Church  books  for  the  price  of  four,  a  savings  of 
approximately    20%. 

2.  You  join  by  ordering  "The  Mormon  Story" 
or  one  or  more  of  the  alternate  selections  de- 
scribed below.  You  may  order  as  few  as  4  books 
a  year  to  keep  your  membership  active  ...  or 
you  may  order  one  or  more  books  each  month 
if   you    desire. 

3.  Each  month,  several  carefully  selected  books 
will    be    reviewed   for    you    and    these    printed    re- 


views will  be  mailed  to  you  .  .  .  with  one  of 
the  books  being  named  book-of-the-month.  If 
you  wish  to  receive  the  top  book  you  do  nothing- 
it  will  be  sent  to  you  postpaid  along  with  a 
statement.  If  you  do  not  want  the  book,  you 
return  the  postcard  provided  for  an  alternate 
selection   (or  none  at   all). 

4.  After  you  have  purchased  four  book  club 
selections,  you  may  select  your  free  bonus  book 
from  a  long  list  of  choice  Church  books  which 
will  be   provided. 

5.  Other  Church  books  are  available  to  club 
members  through  the  club.  However,  non-book- 
club   selections    will    not   carry    bonus    credit. 


FILL   OUT  AND  MAIL  THIS   COUPON   NOW! 

LDS   BOOKS  CLUB,   161   East  Utopia  Avenue,    Salt   Lake  City  15,   Utah 

Gentlemen: 

Please    enroll    me   as    a    member   of    the    LDS    BOOKS    CLUB    and    send    me   the   selections    indicated 
below. 

NAME 

ADDRESS   

CITY  AND  STATE 

Amount  of  check  or  money  order  enclosed  $ (Utah   residents  add   2%    sales   tax.) 

□   Please  send  "The  Mormon  Story"  by  Rulon  S.  Howells— $3.95 

-  ALTERNATES  - 


hi 


Choose  Free  Bonus  Books 

From  This  Sample  List 

(And  new  ones  are  constantly 
being  added.) 

DISCOURSES  OF  THE  PROPHET 
JOSEPH   SMITH 
Alma  P.  Burton 

TEACHINGS  OF  THE   DOCTRINE 
AND  COVENANTS 
William   E.  Berrett 

PEARL  OF  GREAT  PRICE 
COMMENTARY 
Milton  R.  Hunter 

TEMPLES  OF  THE  MOST  HIGH 
N.  B.  Lundwall 

PAUL'S   LIFE  AND   LETTERS 
Dr.  Sidney  B.  Sperry 

CHERISHED   EXPERIENCES 
President  David  O.  McKay 
Compiled  by  Clare  Middlemiss 

PRIESTHOOD  AND  CHURCH 
GOVERNMENT 
John  A.  Widtsoe 

VITALITY  OF  MORMONISM 
Dr.  James  E.  Talmage 

THE  STORY  OF  OUR  CHURCH   FOR 
YOUNG   LATTER-DAY  SAINTS 
Emma  Marr  Petersen 

REVELATION 

Lewis  J.  Harmer 

SERMONS  AND  MISSIONARY 
SERVICES  OF  MELVIN  J.   BALLARD 
Bryant  S.  Hinckley 


□  JESUS  THE  CHRIST,  by  Dr.  James  E. 
Talmage    $3.50 

A  study  of  the  Messiah  and  his 
mission.  MIA  reading  course  for 
two  years. 

□  A  STORY  TO  TELL  $3.00 

Choice  children's  stories  that  teach 
a  moral.  Selected  for  educational 
value  as  well  as  for  their  interest 
for    children. 


D   PATHWAYS  TO  HAPPINESS,  by  David 

O.  McKay  $3.95 

Practical,  down-to-earth  guideposts 
which  inspire  the  soul  and  show 
the  way  to  true   happiness. 

□  PEARL  OF  GREAT  PRICE  COM- 
MENTARY,  by   Dr.  Milton   R.   Hunter $3.00 

A  very  helpful  and  useful  aid  in 
the  study  of  the  Pearl  of  Great 
Price. 


(If  you  do  not  wish  to  mutilate  your  Era,  send  necessary  information  on  separate  sheet.) 


LDS  Books  Club 


894 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


The  Church 

Moves  On 


22nd 

September 

President  J.  Reuben  Clark,  Jr.,  of  the  First  Presidency  dedi- 
cated the  Timpanogos  storehouse  of  the  Church  welfare  plan. 
The  First  Presidency  announced  that  the  East  German 

Mission  of  the  Church  would  henceforth  be  known  as  the  North 

German  Mission. 


Elder  Alma  Sonne,  Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve, 
dedicated  the  chapel  of  the  Lander  (Wyoming)  Branch, 
West  Central  States  Mission. 


San  Mateo  (California)  Stake,  the  247th  such  unit  now  func- 
tioning in  the  Church,  was  organized  from  portions  of  Palo 
Alto  Stake,  with  Elder  Melvin  P.  Pickering  sustained  as 
president,  and  Elders  William  L.  Stoker  and  William  Stanford 
Durrant  as  counselors.  The  new  stake  is  made  up  of  Redwood 
City,  San  Carlos,  San  Mateo,  San  Mateo  Second,  Burlingame,  San 
Bruno  wards,  and  Sharp  Park  Branch.  President  David  B.  Haight 
remained  in  office  as  president  of  Palo  Alto  Stake,  with  Elders 
Richard  B.  Sonne  and  Lund  A.  Johnson  as  his  counselors.  Elders 
Sidney  V.  Badger  was  released  as  first  counselor.  Comprising  Palo 
Alto  Stake  are  Sunnyvale,  Los  Altos,  Palo  Alto,  Palo  Alto  Second, 
and  Menlo  Park  wards.  These  stake  organizations  were  effected 
by  Elder  Marion  G.  Romney  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  and 
Elder  John  Longden,  Assistant  to  the  'Council  of  the  Twelve. 

President  Marion  D.  Hanks  of  the  First  Council  of  the  Seventy 
dedicated  the  chapel  of  the  Grover  Ward,  Star  Valley  (Wyoming) 
Stake.  During  this  stake  conference  assignment,  President  Hanks 
also  dedicated  an  addition  to  the  LDS  Star  Valley  Hospital. 

Elder  Alma  Sonne,  Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve, 
dedicated  the  chapel  of  the  Sheridan  (Wyoming)  Branch, 
West  Central  States  Mission. 

It  was  announced  that   Elder   Marvin  L.    Pugh   had   been 
appointed  to  the  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement  Associa- 
tion general  board. 
The  appointment  of  Elder  Bertrand  F.  Harrison  to  the  general 
board  of  the  Deseret  Sunday  School  Union  was  announced. 


DECEMBER   1957 


NOW! 

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to  bring  you  a  different  folding 
chair!  Samsonite's  exclusive  vinyl 
seat  covering  (lifetime  bonded  to 
the  world's  strongest  steel  chair) 
gives  each  chair  the  luxury-look  of 
upholstered  furniture  —  with  these 
extras!  Stack  it... rack  it... you 
can't  scratch  or  tear  it.  Choose  from 
tan  or  grey  monk's  cloth  pattern. 
Write  for  information  about 
Samsonite  vinyl-clad  chairs  and 
matching  tables,  today. 

Samsonite 

strongest  . . .  last  longest 

SHWAYDER  BROS.,  INC.,  INSTITUTIONAL 
SEATING  DIV.,  Dept  IE  12/Detroit  29,  Mich, 
In  Canada  through  Samsonite  of  Canada,  Ltd. 

895 


SEARS 


U^AJiMMl^ 


It's  mighty  easy  shopping  these  days  .  .  . 
a!!  you  do  is  reach  for  the  phone  from 
your  easy  chair  and  let  Sears  Catalog 
Shopping  Service  make  short  work  of  your 
long    list. 

DIAL  EM  3-2676 
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UTAH   POWER   &   LIGHT   CO. 


896 


Elder  Ezra  Taft  Benson  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  dedi- 
cated the  chapel  of  the  Metuchen  (New  Jersey)  Branch, 
Eastern  States  Mission. 

Elder  John  Longden,  Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve, 
dedicated  the  chapel  of  the  Lakewood  and  Lakewood  Second  wards 
(see  picture,  page  895),  East  Long  Beach  (California)  Stake. 

San  Luis  Obispo  Stake  organized  from  portions  of  Santa 
Barbara  (California)  Stake,  with  President  Arthur  J.  Godfrey,  for- 
merly of  Santa  Barbara  Stake,  as  its  president,  and  Elders  David 
K.  Bickmore  and  Harold  Livingston  sustained  as  counselors.  The 
new  stake,  the  248th  such  unit  now  functioning  in  the  Church, 
includes  the  San  Luis  Obispo,  Santa  Maria,  Lompoc,  Paso  Robles 
wards  and  Las  Flores  and  Arroyo  Grande  branches.  Elder  Harry 
Haldeman  was  sustained  as  president  of  Santa  Barbara  Stake  with 
Elders  Woodruff  J.  Beam  and  Joseph  Fielding  Chapman  as  his 
counselors.  Included  in  the  Santa  Barbara  Stake  are  Camarillo, 
Ojai,  Oxnard,  Santa  Barbara,  Santa  Paula,  and  Ventura  wards.  Re- 
leased from  the  former  Santa  Barbara  Stake  presidency  were  Elders 
William  O.  Bradford  and  Lynn  Gordon,  counselors.  These  changes 
were  effected  by  Elder  Delbert  L.  Stapley  of  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve  and  Elder  Eldred  G.  Smith,  Patriarch  to  the  Church. 

Elder  Justin  B.  Lillywhite,  former  second  counselor,  sustained 
as  first  counselor  in  the  Orange  County  (California)  Stake,  succeed- 
ing Elder  Samuel  H.  Cortez,  deceased.  Elder  Karl  C.  Durham 
sustained  as  second  counselor. 


The  First  Presidency  announced  the  appointment  of  Elder 
David  S.  Romney,  former  mayor  of  Ogden,  now  a  Salt  Lake 
City  resident,  to  preside  over  the  Western  States  Mission, 
succeeding  President  A.  Lewis  Elggren.  President  Romney  is  a 
former  missionary  to  New  Zealand.  He  served  for  five  years  as  a 
member  of  a  high  council  in  Ogden  and  was  recently  released  after 
serving  six  years  as  president  of  the  Monument  Park  Stake  high 
priests  quorum.  He  is  a  former  bishop  of  Mt.  Ogden  Ward,  East 
Ogden  Stake.  At  the  time  of  this  call  to  the  mission  field  he  was 
serving  as  a  Sunday  School  teacher  and  as  a  guide  on  Temple 
Square.  Mrs.  Romney  will  accompany  him  to  the  field  of  labor. 
The  couple  have  two  grown  children. 

The  First  Presidency  urged  support  of  the  United  Fund  drives 
by  the  Saints  residing  in  communities  where  those  drives  are  being 
made. 


The  249th  stake  of  the  Church,  Monument  Park  West  Stake, 
was  created  from  a  portion  of  the  Monument  Park  Stake  in 
Salt  Lake  City.  Elder  Frank  C.  Berg,  second  counselor  in 
the  Monument  Park  Stake,  was  sustained  as  president  of  Monument 
Park  West  Stake  with  Elders  Ernest  A.  Nelson  and  John  Farr  Larson 
sustained  as  his  counselors.  Wards  in  the  new  stake  are  Monument 
Park  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  Sixth,  Seventh,  Eighth,  and  Tenth,  with 
a  membership  for  the  stake  of  approximately  5600.  President 
George  L.  Nelson  and  his  first  counselor,  Elder  Harold  R.  Boyer, 
were  sustained  in  the  Monument  Park  Stake.  Elder  Royden  G. 
Derrick  was  sustained  as  the  new  second  counselor.  Monument 
Park,  Second,  Ninth,  and  Eleventh  wards  make  up  the  stake  with 
a  membership  of  3300.  President  Joseph  Fielding  Smith  and  Elders 
Spencer  W.  Kimball  and  Mark  E.  Petersen  of  the  Council  of  the 
Twelve  effected  these  changes. 

Elder  Thorpe  B.  Isaacson  of  the  Presiding  Bishopric  dedicated 
the  Taylor  (Alberta,  Canada)  Stake  recreation  center. 

Elder  Wayne  Reeves  sustained  as  president  of  San  Bernardino 
(California)  Stake  with  Elders  Shirley  H.  Bogh  and  Gilbert  A. 
Snow.  They  succeed  President  Levern  M.  Hansen  and  his  coun- 
selors, Elders  Woodrow  A.  Miller  and  H.  Duane  Anderson. 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Sign  of  our  times  . . . 


Sir  Winston  Churchill  had  a  similar  sign  during  the  1940's  .  .  .  but  now, 
Sir,  times  have  changed  and  this  can  mean  only  one  thing  . . .  keep  your 
eye  on  channel  five  for  television  at  its  family  finest. 


The  Mountain  West's  alive  .  .  .  with  channel 


5  KSL 


TV 


DECEMBER  1957 


897 


The  Man 


Again  it  is  that  season  of  the  year  in  which  we  do 
special  honor  and  reverence  to  Jesus  Christ.  Millions 
of  people  celebrate  the  birth  dates  of  great  national 
heroes,  but  Jesus  belongs  to  all  the  world,  the  only 
perfect  man  who  walked  the  earth.  The  world  loves 
him  because  never  a  falsehood  passed  his  lips,  nor  a 
taint  of  sin  scarred  his  soul. 

I  wonder  if  we  are  getting  nearer  the  time  when 
statesmen  will  realize  that  the  one  great  thing  which 
the  world  needs  is  faith  in  the  message  that  was 
heralded  by  the  heavenly  host  of  voices,  when  the 
Savior  was  born— "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on 
earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men."  (Luke  2:14.) 

In  this  day  people  are  conjuring  with  names  of 
rulers  and  leaders.  The  followers  of  each  believe  that 
political  salvation  lies  in  adhering  to  the  theories 
advocated  by  their  particular  leader.  Men  are  seeking 
a  new  and  better  order  of  life.  It  was  so  in  Peter's 
day.  He  heard  the  arguments  of  Pharisees,  of  Scribes, 
and  Sadducees.  He  knew  the  power  of  Rome  and 
saw  people  subdued  and  oppressed.  In  the  midst  of  it 
all  Peter  came  to  one  conclusion,  which  he  expressed 
before  the  rulers  of  the  Jewish  nation  and  the  world— 
**.  .  .  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given 
among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved."  (Acts  4:12.) 

Jesus'  teachings  may  be  applied  just  as  efficaciously 
to  social  groups  and  national  problems  as  to  indi- 
viduals if  men  will  only  give  them  a  trial. 

William  George  Jordan  tells  the  story  of  some  men 
in  a  ship,  which,  during  a  terrific  storm,  was  driven 
far  out  of  its  course  and,  helpless  and  disabled,  was 
carried  into  a  strange  bay.  The  water  supply  gave 
out,  and  the  crew  suffered  the  agony  of  thirst,  yet 
dared  not  drink  of  the  salt  water  in  which  that  vessel 
floated.  In  the  last  extremity  they  lowered  a  bucket 
over  the  ship's  side  and  in  desperation  quaffed  the 
beverage  they  thought  was  sea  water,  but  to  their 
joy  and  amazement  the  water  was  fresh,  cool,  and 
life-giving!  They  were  in  a  fresh-water  arm  of  the 
sea,  and  they  did  not  know  it!  They  had  simply  to 
reach  down  and  accept  the  new  life  and  strength  for 
which  they  craved. 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


The  Editors  Page 


of  Nazareth 


by  President  David  O.  McKay 


Applicable  to  nations 

The  illustration  is  applicable  to  a  large  part  of  man- 
kind today.  Men  and  nations  are  drifting.  They  have 
lost  their  bearings;  their  wisdom  is  baffled.  Tried  and 
true  methods  of  the  past  have  been  discarded,  and 
vague  and  indefinite  theories  offered  as  panaceas  for 
social  and  economic  ills.  There  is  an  inescapable 
necessity  for  a  safe  and  experienced  pilot  at  the  wheel. 

One  of  the  soundest  and  safest  bulwarks  of  society 
that  is  being  undermined  today  is  the  family.  Modern 
life  is  disintegrating  the  very  foundation  of  the  home. 
The  evil  of  divorce  is  rampant.  Though  at  present 
the  number  of  divorces  is  decreasing,  too  many  mar- 
riages are  wrecked  on  the  shoals  of  divorce.  For 
the  proper  solution  of  this  problem  we  may  turn  with 
safety  to  Jesus  as  our  guide.  He  declared  that  the 
marriage  relation  is  of  divine  origin.  In  his  teachings 
the  family  assumes  supreme  importance  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  individual  and  of  society. 

Another  present-day  problem,  and  one  most  menac- 
ing, is  the  perpetual  quarreling  and  strife  between 
capital  and  labor.  A  cancerous  growth  in  the  vitals 
of  this  economic  struggle  is  the  spirit  of  coercion. 
Today  capital  and  labor  are  organizing  seemingly 
not  with  a  view  of  helping  each  other,  but  with  a  view 
of  dominating  and  compelling.  One  group  is  just 
as  selfish  and  domineering  as  the  other.  As  soon  as 
one  gets  the  upper  hand,  it  becomes  dictatorial  and 
domineering.  Unrighteous  dominion  whether  exer- 
cised by  employers  or  by  labor  unions  is  contrary  to 
the  spirit  and  teachings  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  The 
ends  of  justice  will  never  be  obtained  by  coercion. 
Man  must  work;  it  is  his  right— it  is  his  privilege;  it 
is  as  essential  to  man's  welfare  as  eating  or  sleeping. 
When  men  organize  to  interfere  with  an  individual's 
right  to  exercise  his  freedom  of  choice,  they  are  creat- 
ing enmity  and  animosity  in  society. 

When  labor  unions  or  employers'  unions  are  ad- 
ministered in  righteousness  and  fair  play,  such  organ- 
izations can  be  of  great  service  to  a  community  and 
to  individuals.    What  I  object  to  and  what  every  fair- 


minded  American  should  object  to  is  the  spirit  of 
coercion  and  intimidation  exercised  by  such  groups. 

Jesus  decried  and  condemned  coercion  on  the  part 
of  those  who  hold  power.  The  intensity  of  his  invec- 
tives against  the  pride,  greed,  and  selfishness  of  Herod, 
Caiaphas,  Annas,  Pilate,  Tiberius,  and  others  shows 
how  deeply  he  was  interested  in  pure  government  and 
how  eager  he  was  to  uphold  just  authority.  His 
ideal  was  that  of  a  social  organization  in  which  every 
man  would  have  the  joyous  consciousness  of  laboring 
and  striving,  not  only  for  himself  but  also  for  the 
welfare  of  his  fellow  men,  and  where  the  highest  re- 
wards and  honors  would  go  simply  to  those  who  were 
able  to  contribute  the  most  to  society. 

Jesus  taught  that  a  man  cannot  be  true  to  himself 
without  being  true  to  his  fellow  men.  Neither  can 
a  man  be  true  to  his  fellow  men  without  being  true 
to  himself. 

No  principle  of  life  was  more  constantly  emphasized 
by  the  great  Teacher  than  the  necessity  of  right  think- 
ing. To  him,  the  man  is  not  what  he  appears  to 
be  outwardly,  nor  what  he  professes  to  be  by  his 
words:  what  the  man  thinks  determines  in  all  cases 
what  the  man  is. 

No  person  can  study  the  divine  personality  of  Jesus, 
can  accept  his  teachings,  without  becoming  conscious 
of  an  uplifting  and  refining  influence  within  himself. 
In  fact,  every  individual  may  experience  the  operation 
of  the  most  potent  force  that  can  affect  humanity. 

Divinity  of  Christ 

Upon  the  membership  of  his  Church  rests  the  obli- 
gation to  teach  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  whose 
perfection  we  find  every  virtue;  in  whom  are  com- 
bined in  wonderful  harmony  all  the  powers  of  the 
soul;  in  whose  life  and  teachings  we  can  find  every 
comfort,  and  if  we  go  to  him  in  humility  and  faith, 
every  guidance  and  inspiration  we  need. 

Our  Lord,  our  Savior,  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  head  of 
this  Church.  I  know  the  reality  of  his  existence,  of 
his  willingness  to  guide  and  direct  all  who  serve  him. 


DECEMBER  1957 


899 


What  is  the  mission  of  translated 
heaven  before  receiving  the 


QUESTION:  In   studying    the   mission    of 

Elijah  a  question  arose  in  relation  to  translated 
beings.  What  is  their  mission?  We  know  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  "the  first  fruits"  of  the  resurrection,  yet  the 
scriptures  state  that  both  Enoch  (Moses  7:21  and  69) 
and  Elijah  (2  Kings  2:11)  were  taken  into  heaven. 
How  can  translated  beings  dwell  in  heaven  before 
receiving  the  resurrection? 


Your 
Question 

by  Joseph  Fielding  Smith 
President  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve 


Note— Response  to  Your  Question  is  so 

great  that  it  is  possible  to  answer  on  these  pages 

but  a  small  percentage  of  the  questions  submitted.  In 

some  cases  it  may  seem  advisable  to  answer 

questions  by  mail.  This  can  be  done,  of 

course,  only  if  you  include  your  name  and. 

address  when  you  write.— J.  F.  S. 


ANSWER:  Once  before  we  discussed  the 

question  of  translated  beings,1  but  perhaps  some 
further  discussion  would  not  be  out  of  order.  We 
learn  from  modern  revelation  that  there  are  no  angels 
who  administer  to  this  earth  but  those  who  do  belong 
or  have  belonged  to  it.2  Therefore  the  angels  who 
appeared  to  Adam  and  the  antediluvian  prophets  must 
have  been  spirits  who  had  not  yet  tabernacled  in  the 
flesh.  Since  that  time  messengers  coming  to  give 
instruction  to  the  prophets  could  have  been  spirits 
of  just  persons  who  had  lived  on  the  earth  or  trans- 
lated beings  who  had  been  reserved  for  that  purpose. 
We  may  be  sure  that  any  messenger  coming  before 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus  who  had  a  tangible  body  was 
a  translated  being  who  had  lived  on  the  earth  and 
had  been  translated  to  become  a  messenger  to  men 
on  the  earth.  Such  would  be  the  case  evidently  in  the 
visitors  who  came  to  Abraham  and  the  personage  who 
wrestled  with  Jacob. 

According  to  the  Pearl  of  Great  Price,  when  Enoch 
was  translated,  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  Zion  were 
also  taken  and  were  also  translated.  How  many  others 
have  been  given  this  great  honor  we  do  not  know,  but 
there  may  have  been  many  of  whom  we  have  no 
record.  Prominence  has  been  given  to  the  case  of 
Elijah  as  well  as  to  Enoch,  and  the  purpose  of  grant- 
ing to  prophets  this  great  blessing  is  that  they  may 
minister  upon  the  earth.  Moreover,  the  Lord,  of 
necessity,  has  kept  authorized  servants  on  the  earth 
bearing  the  priesthood  from  the  days  of  Adam  to  the 
present  time;  in  fact,  there  has  never  been  a  moment 
from  the  beginning  that  there  were  not  men  on  the 


900 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


beings?  How  can  they  dwell  in 
resurrection? 


earth  holding  the  Holy  Priesthood.  Even  in  the  days 
of  apostasy,  and  apostasy  has  occurred  several  times, 
the  Lord  never  surrendered  this  earth  and  permitted 
Satan  to  have  complete  control.  Even  when  the  great 
apostasy  occurred  following  the  death  of  the  Savior's 
apostles,  our  Father  in  heaven  held  control  and  had 
duly  authorized  servants  on  the  earth  to  direct  his 
work  and  to  check,  to  some  extent  at  least,  the  ravages 
and  corruption  of  the  evil  powers.  These  servants 
were  not  permitted  to  organize  the  Church  nor  to 
officiate  in  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  but  they  did 
check  the  advances  of  evil  as  far  as  the  Lord  deemed 
it  necessary.  This  truth  is  made  manifest  in  the  state- 
ment of  the  Lord  in  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  sec- 
tion 49,  wherein  the  following  appears : 

"Wherefore,  I  will  that  all  men  shall  repent,  for  all 
are  under  sin,  except  those  which  I  have  reserved  unto 
myself,  holy  men  that  ye  know  not  of." 

We  know  that  John  the  Revelator  and  the  three 
Nephites  were  granted  the  privilege  of  remaining  on 
the  earth  in  the  translated  state,  to  "bring  souls  unto 
Christ."  We  know  that  this  was  the  request  of  John3 
and  likewise  the  desire  of  the  three  Nephites. 

Entertained  by  holy  messengers 

It  is  reasonable  to  believe  that  they  were  engaged 
in  this  work  as  far  as  the  Lord  permitted  them  to  go, 
during  these  years  of  spiritual  darkness.  There  are 
legends  and  stories  which  seem  to  be  authentic,  show- 
ing that  these  holy  messengers  were  busy  among  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  and  men  have  been  entertained 
by  them  unawares.4  We  may  well  believe  that  these 
translated  prophets  have  always  been  busy  keeping 
constraint  upon  the  acts  of  men  and  nations  unbe- 
known to  mortal  man. 

Translated  beings  have  not  passed  through  death; 
that  is,  they  have  not  had  the  separation  of  the  spirit 
and  the  body.  This  must  wait  until  the  coming  of  the 
Savior.  In  the  meantime  they  are  busy  fulfilling  their 
glorious  mission  in  preparing  the  way  for  the  elders 
of  Israel  to  go  forth  with  the  message  of  salvation 


See  page  971   for  footnotes. 


in  all  parts  of  the  world. 

The  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  has  given  us,  through 
revelation,  much  that  we  know  about  translated  per- 
sons and  the  nature  of  their  work  in  the  following  ex- 
cerpts from  his  teachings: 

A  place  prepared  .  .  . 

"Now  the  doctrine  of  translation  is  a  power  which 
belongs  to  this  Priesthood.  There  are  many  things 
which  belong  to  the  powers  of  the  Priesthood  and  the 
keys  thereof,  that  have  been  kept  hid  from  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world;  they  are  hid  from  the  wise 
and  prudent  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  times. 

"Many  have  supposed  that  the  doctrine  of  transla- 
tion was  a  doctrine  whereby  men  were  taken  imme- 
diately into  the  presence  of  God,  and  into  an  eternal 
fulness,  but  this  is  a  mistaken  idea.  Their  place  of 
habitation  is  that  of  the  terrestrial  order,  and  a  place 
prepared  for  such  characters  He  held  in  reserve  to  be 
ministering  angels  unto  many  planets,  and  who  as  yet 
have  not  entered  into  so  great  a  fullness  as  those  who 
are  resurrected  from  the  dead.  'Others  were  tortured, 
not  accepting  deliverance,  that  they  might  obtain  a 
better  resurrection.'  (See  Hebrews  11:35.) 

"Now  it  was  evident  that  there  was  a  better  resur- 
rection, or  else  God  would  not  have  revealed  it  unto 
Paul.  Wherein  then,  can  it  be  said  a  better  resurrec- 
tion? This  distinction  is  made  between  the  doctrine 
of  the  actual  resurrection  and  translation:  translation 
obtains  deliverance  from  the  tortures  and  sufferings 
of  the  body,  but  their  existence  will  prolong  as  to  the 
labors  and  toils  of  the  ministry,  before  they  can  enter 
into  so  great  a  rest  and  glory."5 

"Translated  bodies  cannot  enter  into  rest  until  they 
have  undergone  a  change  equivalent  to  death.  Trans- 
lated bodies  are  designed  for  future  missions. 

"The  angel  that  appeared  to  John  on  the  Isle  of 
Patmos  was  a  translated  or  resurrected  body  (i.  e.  per- 
sonage). Jesus  Christ  went  in  body  after  his  resur- 
rection to  minister  to  resurrected  bodies.  There  has 
been  a  chain  of  authority  and  power  from  Adam  down 
to  the  present  time."6 


DECEMBER   1957 


901 


F(   fs  jl  ■ 


"£ye  Hath  Not  Seen  " 


I  should  like  to  make,  as  the  introduction  to  what  I 
may  say,  reference  to  two  experiences  which  have 
come  to  me.  I  shall  refer  to  these  two  incidents  in 
such  a  way  as  to  safeguard  the  confidences  as  they 
have  been  given  me  by  these  lovely  people.  And 
then  if  I  address  myself  to  them,  I  am  sure  I  am  say- 
ing something  that  will,  I  believe,  lay  the  foundation 
for  you  to  find  the  strength  which  I  hope  these  young 
people  will  find  in  the  message  which  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  can  give  to  you  and  to  them. 

This  first  experience  is  that  of  a  beautiful  girl.  A 
few  years  ago  she  suffered  humiliation  and  a  shocking 
experience  because  of  the  betrayal  of  a  man,  and  she 
became  a  victim  of  her  sins.  Shocking  as  that  expe- 
rience was,  she  felt  she  was  fortified  against  a  repeti- 


°From    an    address    delivered    to    the    Brigham 
Young   University   student  body. 


tion  of  it,  and  yet  that  sin  was  repeated,  not  once,  but 
more  often.  And  sadly  she  recognized  that  her  powers 
of  resistance  were  diminishing  with  each  experience. 
Then  she  asked  the  question  as  she  sobbed  out  her 
story,  "How  can  I  obtain  the  strength  to  resist  future 
temptations?" 

I  cannot  think  of  a  more  important  question.  I 
have  thought  about  her  question.  I  am  going  to 
try  to  answer  a  little  more  fully  than  I  was  able  to 
when  we  talked,  because  I  have  thought  more  about  it. 

The  second  experience  is  that  of  a  young  couple 
married  a  few  years  ago.  The  girl,  heartbroken 
because  of  the  unhappiness  of  her  home,  this 
last  week  visited  an  attorney  and  took  the  prelim- 
inary steps  toward  a  divorce.  She  had  sought  to 
invite  her  husband  to  have  an  interview  with  one  of 
the  Church  leaders  in  her  local  community  and  else- 


902 


THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


by  Elder  Harold  B.  Lee, 

of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve 


where,  but  he  had  stedfastly  refused,  and  now  she 
came  asking  if  I  would  meet  with  them.  I  invited  her 
to  be  at  the  stake  conference  where  I  was  in  attend- 
ance, and  invited  her  husband  to  be  there  with  her, 
so  that  we  could  arrange  a  time  when  we  could  sit 
down  together.  They  came  up  at  the  close  of  the 
conference,  where  there  had  been  a  marvelous  spirit. 
There  with  their  arms  entwined  and  with  my  arms 
about  both  of  them,  I  heard  them  say,  with  tears 
streaming  down  their  cheeks,  "Brother  Lee,  after  the 
wonderful  spirit  that  we  have  felt  here  in  this  con- 
ference today,  it  is  unlikely  that  we  will  need  to  have 
any  further  talk  with  you." 

It's  the  comfort  of  that  second  incident  that  I  want 
you,  my  dear  little  girl  of  the  first  experience,  to  catch, 
and  having  found  that,  you  will  have  found  in  part 
the  realization  of  the  strength  for  which  you  seek.  "No 


With  insight  and  under- 
standing, Elder  Lee  an- 
swers the  question:  How 
can  I  gain  the  strength 
to    resist   temptation? 


one,"  someone  has  said,  "with  a  heart  full  of  hate  can 
find  God."  Just  so,  no  one  with  lust  in  his  heart  can 
experience  a  pure,  fully  sacred  love.  No  one  who 
covets  what  belongs  to  another  can  be  truly  honest, 
and  no  one  who  is  envious  or  jealous  can  enjoy  the 
thrill  of  sacrificing  for  the  welfare  of  others.  But 
to  get  the  full  meaning  of  that  may  I  turn  it  about 
and  say,  no  one  who  knows  God  can  have  a  heart 
full  of  hate.  No  one  can  have  a  pure,  sacred,  holy 
love  and  at  the  same  time  have  an  unholy  lust  in  his 
heart.  No  truly  honest  person  can  covet  what  belongs 
to  another,  and  no  one  who  has  the  thrill  of  doing 
things  for  others,  unselfishly,  can  ever  be  envious 
or  jealous  of  that  other  person. 

The  Apostle  Paul  said  something  which  was  in 
reality  but  a  quotation  from  the  Prophet  Isaiah: 

But  as  it  is  written,  Eye  liath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things 
which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him. 
(I  Corinthians  2:9.) 

Sometimes  that  has  been  taken  to  mean  blessings 
hereafter,  and  too  little  thought  has  been  given  that 
those  great  and  wonderful  blessings  which  ".  .  .  Eye 
hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into 
the  heart  of  man,  .  .  ."  (Idem)  can  apply  to  us  here 
and  now.  And  it  is  about  some  of  those  things  and 
the  following  quotations  from  the  Prophet  Isaiah 
that  I  would  have  you  keep  in  mind  as  I  relate  some 
of  these  wonderful  experiences  and  blessings  which 
we  here  can  enjoy.    This  is  what  Isaiah  said: 

But  now,  O  Lord,  thou  art  our  father;  we  are  the 
clay,  and  thou  our  potter;  and  we  all  are  the  work  of 
thy  hand.  (Isaiah  64:8.) 

I've  read  that  many  times  but  had  not  received  the 
full  significance  until  I  was  down  in  Mexico  a  few 
years  ago  at  Telacapaca  where  the  people  feature  the 
molding  of  clay  into  various  kinds  of  pottery.  There 
I  saw  them  take  lumps  of  clay  which  had  been  molded, 
usually  by  crude,  primitive  methods,  the  molder  wad- 
ing in  the  mud  to  mix  it  properly.  Then  it  was  put 
upon  a  potter's  wheel,  and  there  the  potter  began  to 


DECEMBER   1957 


903 


fashion  the  intricate  bits  of  pottery  which  he  was  to 
place  on  the  market.  And  as  we  watched,  we  saw 
occasionally  because  of  some  defect  in  the  mixing,  the 
necessity  of  pulling  the  whole  lump  of  clay  apart  and 
throwing  it  back  to  be  mixed  over  again,  and  some- 
times the  process  had  to  be  done  several  times  before 
the  proper  kind  of  mud  was  mixed  for  the  potter. 

With  that  in  mind,  I  thought  I  began  to  see  the 
meaning  of  the  scripture:  We  are  as  clay  in  the  hands 
of  the  potter,  and  we  are  all  the  work  of  his  hands. 
Yes,  we  too  have  to  be  tried  and  tested  by  poverty, 
by  sickness,  by  the  death  of  loved  ones,  by  temptation, 
sometimes  by  the  betrayal  of  supposed  friends,  by 
affluence  and  riches,  by  ease  and  luxury,  by  false  edu- 
cational ideas,  and  by  the  flattery  of  the  world.  A 
father,  explaining  this  matter  to  his  son,  said, 

And  to  bring  about  his  eternal  purposes  in  the  end 
of  man,  after  he  had  created  our  first  parents,  and 
the  beasts  of  the  field  and  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and 
in  fine,  all  things  tuhich  are  created,  it  must  needs  be 
that  there  was  an  opposition;  even  the  forbidden  fruit 
in  opposition  to  the  tree  of  life;  the  one  being  sweet 
and  the  other  bitter.  (2  Nephi  2:15.) 

You  remember  the  old  prophet  had  said, 

For  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth,  and 
scour geth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth.  (Hebrews 
12:6.) 

It  was  the  Prophet  Joseph  who  said,  speaking  of 
this  refining  process,  that  he  was  like  a  huge,  rough 
stone  rolling  down  the  mountainside,  and  the  only 
polishing  he  got  was  when  some  rough  corner  came 
in  contact  with  something  else,  all  hell  knocking  off 
a  corner  here  and  a  corner  there.  But  he  said,  "Thus 
will  I  become  a  polished  shaft  in  the  quiver  of  the 
Almighty." 

So,  to  you,  my  dear  girl,  to  whom  I  am  particularly 


addressing  my  remarks,  you  and  I  must  be  refined;  we 
must  be  tested  in  order  to  prove  the  strength  and 
power  which  is  in  us. 

Now,  what  are  the  blessings  that  are  so  great  that 
"no  eye  hath  seen  nor  ear  heard"  the  magnitude  there- 
of? I'd  like  to  give  you  just  a  handful,  if  I  may- 
five  wonderful  blessings  that  all  who  have  been  born 
into  this  Church  can  enjoy  and  in  part  have  enjoyed 
up  to  this  time,  and  that  all  who  come  in  as  baptized 
members  of  the  Church  through  conversion  may 
enjoy. 

The  first  endowment  of  spiritual  power  that  each 
of  you  has,  as  do  all  who  are  born  upon  this  earth, 
is  spoken  of  in  the  scriptures  as  the  ".  .  .  Light,  which 
lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world."  (John 
1:9.) 

This  is  what  the  Lord  said  in  a  revelation  concern- 
ing this  spirit: 

And  the  Spirit  giveth  light  to  every  man  that  cometh 
into  the  world;  and  the  Spirit  enlighteneth  every  man 
through  the  world,  that  hearkeneth  to  the  voice  of 
the  Spirit.  (D&  C  84:46.) 

That  means  that  wherever  one  lives,  in  whatever  na- 
tion he  may  have  been  born,  no  matter  whether  he  be 
in  riches  or  in  poverty,  every  soul  who  walks  the  earth 
might  have  at  birth  an  endowment  of  that  first  light 
which  is  called  the  light  of  Christ,  the  spirit  of  truth, 
or  the  Spirit  of  God  as  it  is  sometimes  referred  to,  that 
universal  light  of  intelligence  with  which  every  soul 
is  blessed. 

Mormon  spoke  of  that  spirit  when  he  said, 

For  behold,  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  given  to  every 
man,  that  he  may  know  good  from  evil;  wherefore,  I 
show  unto  you  the  way  to  fudge;  for  every  thing  which 
inviteth  to  do  good,  and  to  persuade  to  believe  in 
Christ,  is  sent  forth  by         {Continued  on  page  948) 


WINTER  POND 

by  Jean  Mergard 


The  pond  is  crystal  now, 

Where  once  the  waves 

Twisted  and  rolled  like  blue 

And  silver  doves. 

On  the  luminescent  shore, 

Hard  packed  with  snow, 

Fresh  gold-tipped  tongues  of  fire 

Speak  warm  and  gay. 

Black  figures  crouch  and  leap, 

Awkward  on  steel; 


Still  others  nick  the  slope 

Toward  the  ice-locked  shoal. 

As  blades  meet  glass,   bright  songs 

Of  exhilaration 

Blend  with  the  wind  on  wings 

At  this  transition 

To  the  swift  skimming  over 

sleekness  where, 
Short  days  ago,  deep  liquid  rippled 

there. 


904 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Gifts 

and 

Giving 


Thoughts  for  Your  Inspirational  Talk 


Every  good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is 
from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the 
Father  of  lights,  with  whom  is  no  variable- 
ness, neither  shadow  of  turning. 

—James  1:17, 


If  thou  doest  aught  good,  do  it  quickly;  for 
what  is  done  quickly  will  be  acceptable. 
Favors  slowly  granted  are  unfavorably  re- 
ceived. 

— Ausonius,  Epigrams. 


We  open  here  our  treasures  and  our  gifts; 

And  some  of  it  is  gold, 

And  some  is  frankincense, 

And  some  is  myrrh; 

For  some  has  come  from  plenty, 

Some  from  joy, 

And  some  from  deepest  sorrow  of  the  soul. 

But  thou,  O  God,  dost  know  the  gift  is  love, 

Our  pledge  of  peace,  our  promise  of  good-will. 

Accept  the  gift  and  all  the  life  we  bring. 

—Herbert  H.  Hines, 

Contemporary  American. 


What  can  I  give  Him 
Poor  as  I  am? 
If  I  were  a  shepherd, 
I  would  give  him  a  lamb, 
If  I  were  a  Wise  Man, 
I  would  do  my  part,— 
But  what  I  can  I  give  Him, 
Give  my  heart. 

-Christina  G.  Rossetti,  1830-1894. 


He  gives  too  late  who  waits  to  be  asked. 

—Henderson,  Latin  Proverbs. 


Rings  and  jewels  are  not  gifts,  but  apologies 
for  gifts.  The  only  gift  is  a  portion  of  thyself. 
.  .  .  Therefore  the  poet  brings  his  poem;  the 
shepherd,  his  lamb;  the  farmer,  corn;  the 
miner,  a  gem;  the  sailor,  coral  and  shells; 
the  painter,  his  picture;  the  girl,  a  handker- 
chief of  her  own  sewing. 

—Emerson,  Gifts. 


The  most  acceptable  gifts  always  are  those 
which  the  giver  makes  precious. 

—Ovid,  Heroidcs. 


The  greatest  gift  which  God  in  his  bounty 
bestowed  in  creating,  and  the  most  con- 
formed to  his  own  goodness,  and  that  which 
he  prizes  the  most,  was  the  freedom  of  the 
will,  with  which  the  creatures  that  have  in- 
telligence, they  and  they  alone,  were  and  are 
endowed. 


—Dante,  Divine  Comedy. 


Weigh  not  what  thou  givest,  but  what  is 

given  thee.  „ 

—James  Howell, 


English  Proverbs. 


Who  gives  to  whom  hath  naught  been  given 
His  gift  is  need,  though  small  indeed, 
As  is  the  grass-blade's  wind-blown  seed, 
Is  large  as  earth  and  rich  as  heaven. 

—John  Greenleaf  Whittier. 


DECEMBER   1957 


905 


CHRISTMAS 

in  the 

HOLY  LAND 


by  Alice  Colton  Smith 


We  drove  through  the  winding  canyons  of  the 
Judean  hills  toward  Bethlehem.  United  States  em- 
ployees stationed  in  Israel,  we  were  joining  the 
countless  others  on  their  way  to  spend  Christmas 
Eve  in  Bethlehem  at  Jesus'  birthplace.  As  we  began 
our  journey,  the  lowering,  storm-piled  clouds  seemed 
as  menacing  as  the  constant  threats  of  war  hanging 
over  the  land. 

We  had  lived  in  Israel  only  six  months.  Like  un- 
numbered Jews  and  Christians,  however,  we  were  not 
strangers  to  this  land.  We  had  known  it  all  our 
lives.  Our  earliest  memories  were  of  its  stories.  Our 
earliest  maps  and  pictures  told  about  its  troubles  and 
its  heroes.  In  sermon  and  in  story  we  had  learned 
that  in  this  valley  Samson  slew  his  thousand  with  the 
jawbone  of  an  ass,  on  that  mountain  the  prophet 
Samuel  crowned  Saul  king  of  Israel,  and  that  upon  the 
very  highway  over  which  we  now  traveled  Pontius 
Pilate  had  ridden  to  Jerusalem. 

The  stories  we  had  heard  since  childhood  were 
suddenly  the  histories  of  real  people  and  real  places. 
The  cries  of  both  ancient  and  recent  battles  rang  in 
our  memory.  Along  the  canyon  road  the  twisted, 
rusted  wrecks  of  trucks  were  horrifying  reminders 
of  a  recent  war's  cost  and  carnage.  Since  that  war 
between  the  Jews  and  the  Arabs  in  1948,  the  trucks 
had  lain  in  mute  protest  along  the  way  to  Jerusalem. 
It  was  hard  to  forget  them  and  to  remember  that  a 
man  named  Jesus,  in  dusty  clothes,  hungry  and 
thirsty,  had  walked  this  way,  hallowing  these  hills 
with  his  presence. 

We  tried  to  remember  only  him  and  how  long  ago 
he  had  called  men  to  the  service  of  peace.  Amid  the 
reminders  of  war,  we  lifted  our  voices  in  familiar 
Christmas  carols.  We  thought  of  Mary,  the  young 
mother,  of  her  newborn  Son  who  was  to  bring  peace 


to  the  hearts  of  men,  and  of  the  manger  wherein  the 
Christ  child  lay  to  receive  the  gifts  and  adoration 
of  the  lowly  shepherds. 

Then,  at  the  end  of  the  steep  road,  on  the  top  of 
the  mountain,  was  that  city  of  unbrotherly  love, 
Jerusalem.  Soldiers  walked  the  streets.  Houses, 
pockmarked  and  gutted  by  war,  testified  to  an  ever- 
smoldering  hatred.  An  angry  No-Man's-Land  tore  the 
city  in  two,  Arabs  on  one  side,  Jews  on  the  other.  We 
grew  silent  in  the  face  of  such  enmity. 

We  had  dreamed  of  this  moment  for  months,  this 
hour  when  we  would  go  up  to  Bethlehem  to  worship 
in  the  town  where  Christ  was  born;  not  just  read  of 
it;  not  just  imagine  it  as  we  sang  "O  Little  Town  of 
Bethlehem,"  but  actually  to  be  there  on  Christmas 
Eve. 

At  the  border,  a  long  line  of  cars  waited  to  cross 
from  the  new  Jerusalem  of  Israel  into  the  old  city  of 
Jerusalem  in  Jordan,  which  is  built  on  the  site  of 
Christ's  city.  Papers  had  to  be  filled  out  and  permits 
granted.  Americans  stationed  in  Israel  were  not  par- 
ticularly welcome  in  Jordan.  Jerusalem  and  Bethle- 
hem, however,  are  such  sacred  cities  that  diplomatic 
pressure  had  persuaded  Jordan  to  allow  all  Christians, 
even  those  in  Israel,  to  enter. at  Christmas  time. 

As  we  settled  down  to  wait  a  tedious  hour  for  our 
turn  to  cross  the  border,  we  remembered  how  remote 
this  "war"  between  Jew  and  Arab  had  seemed  in  our 
Rocky  Mountain  college  town  of  Logan,  Utah.  All 
we  could  think  of  then  was  that  we  would  be  going 
to  the  Holy  Land,  the  Bible  land,  the  land  of  Jesus. 
When  the  United  States  government  asked  my  pro- 
fessor husband  to  take  an  assignment  in  Israel,  we 
had  not  realized  that  at  the  end  of  thirty-seven  flying 
hours  we  would  be  plunged  into  a  world  at  war. 
True,  there  was  an  armistice,  but  there  was  no  peace 


906 


THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


in  the  homeland  of  the  Prince  of  peace. 

Warm  greetings  from  American  friends,  also  wait- 
ing to  visit  Jordan,  revived  our  holiday  spirits.  In  a 
moment  we  were  talking  joyously  about  how  wonder- 
ful it  was  to  be  spending  Christinas  in  Bethlehem. 
We  discussed,  planned,  and  replanned  our  brief  holi- 
day. We  thought  of  all  those  who  had  so  reverently 
traveled  this  way;  those  who  had  come  in  times  of 
peace;  those  who  had  come  with  armies;  the  poor 
and  the  rich. 

Suddenly,  the  sight  of  a  hooded  guard  and  rifle 
in  one  of  the  shattered  buildings  of  No-Man's-Land 
recalled  us  to  reality.  Abruptly,  the  gray  day  seemed 
oppressive.  The  damp  promise  of  rain  increased  our 
discomfort.  We  could  have  wept.  We  loved  the 
talented,  vivacious,  tempestuous  Jew  of  Israel.  We 
loved  the  talented,  amiable,  tempestuous  Arab.  Each 
needed  the  other.  Each  had  so  much  to  give  the 
other.  The  Jewish  learning,  modern  industry,  or- 
ganization, and  skill  could  well  complement  the 
Arab's  classical  learning,  traditional  skills,  arts,  and 
design. 

At  last,  our  turn  to  cross  came.  We  drove  across 
the  three  hundred  feet  of  No-Man's-Land  to  the 
Jordanian  border  station.  Christian  Arabs  from  Israel 
packed  the  space  between  the  two  border  stations. 
Families,  loaded  with  bundles,  drooped  with  fatigue. 
Children,  miserable  with  the  ordeal  of  protracted 
waiting,  cried  and  complained.  Their  elders  an- 
swered irritably.  Tempers  flared  with  little  provoca- 
tion. Many  looked  enviously  at  our  American  car 
which  allowed  us  swift  passage  and  preferential 
border  treatment. 

As  they  cleared  a  path  for  our  car,  the  Jordanian 
guards  were  rough  with  Israeli  Arabs  waiting  to  cross 
into  Jordan.     Children   and  women  cried  out  with 


fear  as  they  were  pushed  against  the  car  by  the  force 
of  the  dense  crowd.  We  were  not  allowed  to  stop. 
We  drove  as  slowly  as  we  could,  panicked  as  we  felt 
the  bodies  jostle  against  the  moving  car,  praying  that 
no  one  would  be  injured.  We  grieved  that  we  should 
go  so  easily  while  others  must  wait  so  long. 

With  our  entrance  permits,  we  moved  from  the 
West  into  the  East.  The  contrast  was  everywhere. 
Men  were  dressed  in  western  business  suits,  in  long, 
voluminous  robes,  their  heads  covered  with  the  color- 
ful, hoodlike  kaffiyeh  and  egal;  in  ankle-length  gowns 
topped  by  coats  from  western  business  suits;  in  the 
huge  baggy  pants  of  the  Middle  East.  Some  men 
were  spotlessly  clean,  some  were  incredibly  dirty. 

Women  wore  suits  from  Paris,  dresses  and  coats 
from  America,  traditional  woolens  from  England;  but 
many  were  of  the  past  and  wore  the  black  shoes, 
thick  black  stockings,  the  black  coat,  and  the  envelop- 
ing black  veil  that  permits  no  one  to  see  their  faces. 
The  women  of  the  villages  walked  with  uncovered 
faces  in  richly  embroidered  gowns,  with  long  shawls 
covering  their  hair  and  with  the  grace  and  easy  car- 
riage a  western  model  might  envy.  On  their  heads 
they  carried  laden  baskets  as  if  they  were  hats  with 
feathered  plumes.  Children  followed  us  everywhere: 
children  undernourished,  children  blue  with  cold,  in 
tattered  clothes;  some  whose  runny  eyes  foretold  the 
blindness  the  dread  trachoma  would  bring.  Medicine 
has  helped  erase  this  scourge,  but  there  is  still  much 
to  do. 

The  best  hotels  of  Jerusalem  lie  outside  the  old 
city's  ancient  walls.  Because  Christmas  is  a  big  tour- 
ist season,  our  Israeli  connections  made  it  impossible 
for  us  to  secure  lodgings  in  these  hotels.  Our  hotel 
was  situated  deep  in  the  old  city,  a  stone's  throw  from 
No-Man's-Land. 


DECEMBER   1957 


907 


We  entered  the  medieval  city  of  Old  Jerusalem 
through  Damascus  Gate.  The  streets  were  too  nar- 
row for  cars,  so  we  carried  our  bags  for  what  seemed 
miles  through  the  tortuous,  covered  ways  thronged 
with  humanity  and  donkeys.  A  tattered  but  cheerful 
urchin  carried  the  luggage  we  could  not  handle.  The 
shops  on  each  side  emitted  the  blended  odors  of  cof- 
fee, spices,  vegetables,  fruit,  pastry,  and  meat. 

Our  hotel  was  ancient,  cold,  small,  and  uncomfort- 
able. The  lobby's  pot-bellied  stove  furnished  the 
only  heat  in  the  entire  building.  As  we  entered,  the 
jam  of  Christmas  pilgrims  provided  an  unusual 
warmth.  A  babble  of  languages  filled  the  air.  The 
Arab  proprietor  with  a  huge  scar  dividing  his  left 
cheek  rushed  in  and  out.  The  unexpected  sight  of 
several  US  airmen  linked  us  joyfully  with  home. 

Upstairs,  our  unheated  bedroom  had  one  unshaded 
electric  light  bulb.  The  beds  were  without  inner- 
spring  mattresses  or  coil  springs.  To  keep  warm  we 
not  only  asked  for  extra  blankets  but  also  used  the 


sleeping  bags  we  had  brought.  Our  washbasin  had 
running  cold  water  only.  Each  morning  we  were 
brought  one  teapot  of  hot  water  in  which  the  four 
of  us  had  to  wash  and  my  husband  and  son  to  shave. 
We  spent  only  the  time  necessary  to  sleep  and  eat 
in  our  hotel. 

Before  we  left  for  Bethlehem,  which  as  in  the  time 
of  Jesus  has  little  room  for  travelers,  we  shopped  in 
the  cubbyhole  stores  where  all  the  fabulous  merchan- 
dise of  the  East  has  been  brought  to  tempt  the  tourist: 
great  trays  of  brass,  copper,  and  silver  from  Damascus, 
Persian  rugs  from  Iran,  elegant  gold  and  silver 
jewelry  from  Lebanon  and  Syria,  linens  embroidered 
elaborately  with  gold  thread  from  Tripoli,  velvet 
capes  fashioned  after  those  the  Crusaders  wore, 
enameled  vases  from  Kashmir,  and  carvings  of  olive 
wood  cut  in  Jerusalem.  The  shops  were  cold,  and  the 
solicitous  merchants  brought  lovely,  small  brass 
braziers  filled  with  glowing  coals  around  which  we 


huddled  while  we  bargained.  As  always,  in  accord- 
ance with  eastern  hospitality,  we  were  served  some- 
thing hot  to  drink. 

Twilight  came  and  was  followed  by  foggy  night. 
The  shops  were  closed.  We  returned  to  our  hotel 
to  eat  the  strange,  delicious  food  of  the  Middle  East: 
stuffed  grape  leaves,  chicken  with  lemon-flavored 
gravy,  stuffed  marrow,  and  pistachio-filled  cookies 
flavored  with  rose  water. 

A  drizzling  rain  was  falling  as  we  left  Jerusalem 
and  drove  the  narrow,  steep,  twisting  road  to  Bethle- 
hem. Before  we  had  gone  far,  a  great  star  flamed 
in  the  darkness  of  approaching  midnight.  The  electric 
star  of  today's  Bethlehem  lighted  our  way  across  the 
barren,  wet  Judean  hills  past  the  fields  "where  shep- 
herds watched  their  flocks  by  night"  to  the  church 
now  guarding  the  manger  where  Christ  is  believed 
to  have  been  born.  Again,  we  sang  the  carols  in  joy- 
ful anticipation. 

Bethlehem,  built  on  the  mountaintop,  its  roads, 
steep,  winding,  and  narrow,  and  its  houses  crowded 
to  the  road's  edge  was  quiet  in  the  rain-swept  night. 
Only  the  raucous  voices  of  the  taxicab  drivers  and  the 
calls  of  the  merchants  whose  shops  line  the  street 
opposite  the  Church  of  the  Nativity  disturbed  the 
peace  of  Bethlehem. 

The  old  Crusade-built  church,  cleaned  by  the  rain, 
was  softly  lit  by  many  lamps.  Stooping  almost  double 
to  enter  by  its  low  door  built  to  keep  carousing  horse- 
men from  riding  in,  we  were  hushed  by  the  solemnity 
of  the  chapel.  From  each  of  its  many  chandeliers 
hung  a  huge,  colored  Christmas  ball. 

Upstairs,  outside  the  chapel,  we  stood  for  over  an 
hour  before  we  could  enter.  Many  persons  in  the 
crowd  pushed  and  shoved  for  priority  in  line.  Finally, 
the  doors  were  opened.  Arabs,  Englishmen,  French- 
men, Scandinavians,  Spaniards,  Chinese,  Abyssinians, 
Americans— people  from  all  over  the  earth  crowded 
into  the  church. 


908 


THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Diplomats,  resplendent  in  gold  braid  and  red  and 
purple  velvet,  entered  in  great  solemnity.  Common 
men  and  notables  bowed  their  heads  in  allegiance  to 
God. 

We  sat  on  narrow,  uncomfortable  benches  without 
complaining,  because  this  was  Bethlehem.  In  this 
town,  on  this  very  spot  perhaps,  the  Son  of  God  had 
been  born. 

Full  of  awe  we  watched  the  beautiful  service.  The 
bells  pealed  out  the  midnight  hour.  It  was  Christmas 
in  Bethlehem,  and  Christ  was  born  again  in  the  hearts 
of  men. 

We  drove  back  across  the  silent  hills  to  Jerusalem. 
We  passed  the  Mount  of  Olives  where  Christ  often 
paused  to  sorrow  over  his  city;  passed  the  Garden 
of  Gethsemane  whose  ancient  olive  trees,  believed  to 
be  the  very  ones  under  which  Jesus  prayed,  were  now 
dark  shadows  on  a  darker  hill;  passed  the  night- 
blurred  walls  of  the  ancient  temple  area;  and  came 
at  last  to  the  city  of  his  death  and  resurrection. 

Christmas  day  brought  more  rain,  and  no  customary 
Christmas  tree,  gaily  wrapped  packages,  or  friends 
with  Christmas  greetings.  Instead,  we  spent  a  long 
day  visiting  Samaria,  Jacob's  well,  Emmaus,  and 
other  sites  famed  in  biblical  lore. 

Wearied,  we  finally  went  back  to  the  hotel  with 
lagging  footsteps.  As  we  opened  the  lobby  door,  we 
paused.  We  couldn't  believe  our  eyes.  Streamers  of 
red  and  green  Christmas  paper  twirled  in  the  warm 
air  of  the  brightly  lit  lobby.  Candy  and  nuts  were 
heaped  on  the  beautiful  inlaid  tables.  Belgians, 
American,  Frenchmen,  Arabs— all  the  hotel  guests 
were  talking  and  laughing  together  like  friends.    We 


were  dazzled  by  this  Christmas  miracle. 

The  unexpected  turkey  dinner  awed  us:  cranberry 
sauce,  pickles,  colossal  American  olives,  and  finally, 
fruit  cake— wonderful  American  fruit  cake!  Two  men 
in  United  States  Air  Force  uniforms  approached  our 
table,  offering  more  cake.  This  wonderful  Christmas 
was  then  explained.  Not  the  management  but  the  US 
Air  Force  men  stationed  in  Dharan  in  Saudi  Arabia 
were  our  Santa  Claus.  They  had  flown  their  Christ- 
mas dinner  with  them  to  Jerusalem.  Their  generous 
leftovers  fed  all  the  hotel  guests. 

Drawn  together  by  the  delightfully  unexpected 
munificence,  all  the  guests  sang  songs  and  were  gay 
together  in  a  dozen  languages.  We  discovered  that 
joy  makes  gesture  a  universal  language,  and  we  were 
merry  until  Christmas  ended.  Forgotten  was  the 
bitter  history  of  Jerusalem  when  Nebuchadnezzar 
carried  its  inhabitants  captive  into  Babylon;  when 
the  Romans  laid  waste  this  city  and  tore  its  temple 
down;  and  when  the  Crusaders  fought  every  step  of 
the  way  to  this  Holy  City.  Forgotten  was  the  agony 
of  betrayal  and  death  which  Jesus  suffered  here;  for- 
gotten was  the  present  enmity  between  Arab  and  Jew 
whose  guns  and  No-Man's-Land  were  a  short  half- 
block  away.  The  uniform  of  the  US  Air  Force,  some- 
times a  symbol  of  war,  became  for  these  hours  an 
emblem  of  brotherhood  drawing  us  all  together  to 
worship  in  song  the  Child  of  Bethlehem.  Men  of 
war  and  men  of  peace,  we  had  all  made  the  long 
journey  to  the  Holy  Land  in  his  honor,  and  in  his 
memory  different  customs,  different  languages,  dif- 
ferent songs  blended  together  in  one  joyful  Christmas 
celebration. 


CHRISTMAS 

by  Vesta  Nickerson 

Beside  the  winter  hearth  the  fragrant  fir 
Bespeaks  the  passing  of  another  year. 
Upon  each  weighted  bough  the  breathless  stir 
Of  burning  candle  points  the  season's  cheer. 
Ribboned  wreaths,  the  pendent  mistletoe, 
And  eastern  holly,  sharp  in  unsheathed  sprays, 
Accent  the  turning  cycle,  clearly  show 
The  rich  inheritance  of  months  and  days. 

The  mind  can  trespass  lightly  over  space, 
The  symbol  flame  and  guiding  star  unite, 
Or,  disregarding  time,  in  thought  replace 
The  silver  fir  upon  the  mountain  height. 
Remembrance  of  His  wondrous  words  and  way 
Keeps  faith  alive  within  our  hearts  today. 


DECEMBER   1957 


909 


First  of  two  parts 


The  Dead  Sea  Scrolls  and  Their 
Significance  for  Latter-day  Saints 

by  Dr.  Sidney  B.  Sperry 

Professor  of  Old  Testament  Languages  and  Literature 

Brigham  Young  University 


Few  events  have  excited 
Bible  scholars  and  laymen 
alike  more  than  the  chance 
finding  of  the  Dead  Sea 
Scrolls  in  1947.  The  main 
facts  of  the  discovery  are 
now  pretty  well  known,  but 
it  will  not  hurt  to  review 
them.  In  the  spring  of  1947 
a  goatherd  of  the  Ta'amireh 
tribe  of  Bedouins,  Mu- 
hammad Adh-Dhib  ("Mu- 
hammad the  Wolf")  by 
name,  while  grazing  his 
flock  near  the  Wadi  Qumran,  an  area  northwest  of 
the  Dead  Sea,  came  upon  an  ancient  storehouse  of 
Hebrew  and  Aramaic  documents.  All  accounts  of  the 
find  are  by  no  means  agreed  in  detail,  but  here  is  how 
Mr.  C.  Lankester  Harding,  Director  of  Antiques  in  the 
Hashemite  Kingdom  of  Jordan,  describes  it  in  The 
London  Times  of  August  9,  1949: 

"One  of  the  goats  strayed  in  search  for  better  pas- 
tures, and  the  goatherd,  looking  for  it  up  the  steep 
rock  hillside,  chanced  upon  a  small  circular  opening 
in  a  rock  face.  With  pardonable  curiosity  he  looked 
in  cautiously,  but  could  make  out  only  a  large  dark 
cavern;  so  he  picked  up  a  stone  and  threw  it  in— and 
heard  something  crack  and  break.  Nervously  appre- 
hensive at  the  unexpected  result  of  his  effort,  he  with- 
drew, and  returned  later  with  a  friend.  Each  made 
brave  by  the  presence  of  the  other,  they  wriggled 
through  the  small  aperture  into  the  cavern,  and  in  the 
dim  light  could  distinguish  some  large  jars  standing 
on  the  floor,  one  of  them  broken  by  the  recently 
thrown  stone.  Fragments  of  others  were  lying  all 
around,  but  they  quickly  proceeded  to  examine  the 
contents  of  the  intact  jars. 

"Instead,  however,  of  the  expected  golden  treasure 
they  drew  forth  a  number  of  leather  rolls  covered  in, 


to  them,  an  unknown  writing— had  they  but  known  it, 
a  treasure  far  greater  than  any  gold."1 

Muhammad  and  his  friend  proceeded  to  Bethle- 
hem, where  they  attempted  to  sell  the  scrolls.  In  a 
few  months  time  the  Syrian  Orthodox  Monastery  of 
St.  Mark  in  Jerusalem  and  Dr.  E.  L.  Sukenik  of  the 
Hebrew  University  had  acquired  the  scrolls.  The 
Syrian  Archbishop  of  Jerusalem,  Athanasius  Yeshue 
Samuel,  recognized  that  the  script  on  the  rolls  in 
possession  of  his  monastery  was  Hebrew,  but  beyond 
that  fact  neither  he  nor  any  of  his  colleagues  knew 
anything  about  the  nature  and  significance  of  the 
documents.  The  archbishop  consulted  scholars,  in- 
cluding the  famous  Dutch  Professor  J.  van  der  Ploeg, 
of  the  University  of  Nijmegen,  who  happened  to  be 
in  Jerusalem  at  the  time.  Professor  van  der  Ploeg,  on 
seeing  one  of  the  documents,  recognized  it  as  a  He- 
brew copy  of  the  book  of  Isaiah.  He  accordingly 
reported  this  interesting  fact  to  one  of  his  friends  at 
the  Ecole  Bibliqiie,  a  famous  scholar  in  the  field  of 
manuscripts,  who  told  him  that  it  was  preposterous 
to  suppose  that  genuine  documents  of  such  an  early 
age  as  the  Isaiah  document  appeared  to  be  could 
possibly  exist.  Professor  van  der  Ploeg  therefore 
dropped  the  matter  from  his  mind,  but  it  was  not 
long  before  he  and  his  friend  were  to  change  their 
opinions  regarding  the  early  date  of  the  scrolls. 

On  February  21,  1948,  Father  Butros  Sowmy  of  the 
Syrian  Monastery  approached  young  Dr.  John  C. 
Trever,  Acting  Director  of  the  American  School  of 
Oriental  Research  in  Jerusalem,  concerning  the  five 
rolls.  The  next  day  he  and  his  brother  brought  the 
rolls  to  the  American  School  and,  inasmuch  as  no 
cameras  were  then  available,  permitted  Dr.  Trever 
to  copy  some  lines  from  the  largest  scroll.  Father 
Sowmy  explained  that  the  rolls  had  originally  been 
found  in  a  cave  near  the  Dead  Sea. 

When  his  visitors  departed,  Dr.  Trever  quickly 
realized  that  the  Hebrew  characters  from  the  roll  he 


910 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Dr.    Sperry   and    Dr. 
Hugh  Nibley  of  BYU 
examine   photostats 
of  the  Dead  Sea 
Scrolls. 


The    delicate    unroll- 
ing  completed,    the 
scrolls    are    ready    for 
study    and    transla-- 
tion. 


See  page  971   for    footnotes. 


DECEMBER   1957 


911 

J. 


had  copied  were  from  the  book  of  Isaiah  and  were 
more  archaic  than  any  of  the  kind  he  had  before  seen. 
Accordingly,  the  next  day  he  persuaded  Archbishop 
Samuel  to  allow  the  rolls  to  be  brought  to  the  Ameri- 
can School  and  photographed.  On  February  23,  the 
project  was  begun;  however,  one  of  the  rolls  was  so 
badly  damaged  and  difficult  to  unroll  that  work  on 
it  was  discontinued.  It  was  observed  that  this  roll 
was  not  written  in  Hebrew  but  in  its  sister-language, 
Aramaic. 

The  plates  were  developed  as  soon  as  possible,  and 
some  prints  from  the  Isaiah  scroll  were  airmailed  to 
Dr.  William  F.  Albright  of  Johns  Hopkins  University 
in  Baltimore.  Dr.  Albright,  one  of  the  greatest  bibli- 
cal archaeologists  of  our  time,  quickly  responded  by 
airmail  and  said  these  now  familiar  words: 

"My  heartiest  congratulations  on  the  greatest  manu- 
script discovery  of  modern  times!  There  is  no  doubt 
in  my  mind  that  the  script  is  more  archaic  than  that 
of  the  Nash  Papyrus.  ...  I  should  prefer  a  date 
around  100  B.C.  .  .  .  What  an  absolutely  incredible 
find!  And  there  can  happily  not  be  the  slightest  doubt 
in  the  world  about  the  genuineness  of  the  manuscript."2 

When  Dr.  Millar  Burrows,  director  of  the  American 
School,  came  back  from  a  two-week  visit  to  Iraq  near 
the  end  of  February,  he  immediately  plunged  into 
active  study  of  the  scrolls  with  his  colleagues,  Dr. 
Trever  and  Dr.  W.  H.  Brownlee.  It  was  urgent  that 
the  manuscripts  be  prepared  for  publication.  Dr. 
Burrows  told  Archbishop  Samuel  that  in  his  judgment 
the  Isaiah  scroll  was  the  oldest  known  manuscript  of 
any  book  in  our  Bible.  The  archbishop  was  so  im- 
pressed by  Dr.  Burrows'  words  that  within  a  week  he 
had  sent  the  scrolls  to  a  safe  place  outside  the  con- 
fines of  Palestine. 

In  1949  Archbishop  Samuel  arrived  in  this  country 
with  the  five  scrolls  (later  it  was  discovered  that  in 
reality  two  of  them  were  parts  of  one  original  scroll) 
and  handed  them  over  to  the  American  School  of 
Oriental  Research,  to  be  kept  there  for  three  years 
with  a  view  to  publication.  And,  indeed,  three  of 
the  scrolls  were  promptly  published.  The  fourth 
roll  still  resisted  attempts  to  unroll  it. 

Finally,  attempts  were  made  to  sell  the  scrolls,  but 
institutions  hesitated  to  bid  for  them— possibly  because 
of  doubt  as  to  legal  ownership.  On  February  13,  1955, 
it  was  announced  that  they  had  been  purchased  for 
the  State  of  Israel,  the  stated  price  being  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  In  this  way  all  of 
the  scrolls  were  united  under  one  ownership,  Dr.  E. 
L.  Sukenik  having  purchased  the  other  scrolls  for  the 
Hebrew  University,  as  was  pointed  out  above.  Israel's 
premier  announced  a  proposal  to  build  a  special 
museum  to  house  the  scrolls,  which  should  be  known 
as  the  Shrine  of  the  Book. 

Not  only  has  the  original  cave  of  discovery  been 


explored,  but  numerous  other  caves  over  a  large  area 
have  also  been  investigated  by  Bedouins  or  experts 
or  both.  Large  numbers  of  fragments  of  documents 
have  been  discovered.  These  caves  have  been  sys- 
tematically numbered,  the  first  one  naturally  being 
known  as  Cave  1  or  1Q  (Q  =  Qumran). 

I  must  mention  an  unusual  discovery  in  Cave  3  of 
two  rolls  of  inscribed  copper— not,  as  usual,  of  skin 
or  papyrus.  One  of  the  rolls  consisted  of  two  strips 
of  copper  rolled  together;  apparently  they  were  orig- 
inally riveted  together  to  form  a  metal  sheet  about 
eight  feet  long  by  one  foot  wide.  Although  the  rolls 
contained  writing,  it  was  difficult  to  decipher,  since 
the  documents  could  not  be  unrolled  because  of  the 
oxidation  of  the  metal.  Only  early  last  year  (1956) 
did  Professor  H.  Wright  Baker  of  the  Manchester 
College  of  Technology  succeed— brilliantly,  I  may 
add— in  opening  the  scrolls  for  decipherment.  Only 
about  five  percent  of  the  text  was  destroyed  in  the 
operation.  When  announcements  were  made  in  1956 
concerning  the  contents  of  the  copper  scrolls,  it  was 
revealed  that  they  contained  traditions  about  the  hid- 
ing places  of  about  sixty  portions  of  treasure.  The 
combined  weight  of  the  treasure,  consisting  of  gold, 
silver,  incense,  and  the  like,  would,  so  the  report 
goes,  amount  to  over  two  hundred  tons,  hidden  mostly 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Jerusalem.  Parts  of  the 
treasure  are  said  to  have  been  stowed  away  in  places 
as  far  distant  as  Mount  Gerizim  and  Hebron  (fifty 
miles  apart).  Whether  or  not  this  is  true  is  a  matter 
yet  to  be  determined.  I  have  not  as  yet  heard  of  any 
of  the  treasure  being  dug  up. 

As  excavation  has  proceeded  in  the  caves,  untold 
thousands  of  manuscript  fragments  have  been  re- 
covered. In  Cave  4  alone,  tens  of  thousands  of  these 
fragments  representing  about  330  separate  books 
have  been  retrieved.  It  is  said  that  ninety  of  these 
books  are  parts  of  the  Bible;  in  fact,  every  Old  Testa- 
ment book  except  Esther  is  represented  in  the  finds. 
Apocryphal  works,  some  hitherto  unknown  books, 
commentaries  and  paraphrases,  hymns,  and  religious 
documents  having  to  do  with  some  community  are 
among  the  finds. 

To  clean,  unfold,  and  photograph  all  of  these  frag- 
ments is  alone  a  monumental  task,  not  to  mention 
the  problem  of  translating  and  piecing  together  the 
parts  which  belong  to  one  and  the  same  document.  A 
team  of  eminent  scholars  is  now  engaged  in  this 
tedious  work  in  the  Palestine  Archaeological  Museum, 
in  a  long  room  known  as  the  "Scrollery."  A  full  re- 
port of  their  labors  will  come  out  gradually  in  a 
series  of  volumes,  one  of  which,  Discoveries  in  the 
Judaean  Desert,  has  already  appeared  (Clarendon 
Press,  Oxford)  under  the  editorship  of  the  Catholic 
Fathers  D.  Barthelemy  and  J.  T.  Milik. 

When  were  the  manuscripts,  especially  those  found 


912 


THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


in  Cave  1,  written?  Opinions  differ  somewhat,  and 
some  of  the  documents  must  be  dated  earlier  than 
others.  Dr.  Millar  Burrows  seems  to  think  that  various 
lines  of  investigation  would  place  all  of  the  manu- 
scripts within  the  historical  period  from  about  300 
BC  to  AD  68  or  70.  One  of  the  most  important 
scrolls,  the  complete  Isaiah  document  (Isaiah  A),  has 
been  dated  between  175  and  100  BC;  the  Habakkuk 
scroll  is  placed  between  100  BC  and  AD  25,  while  the 
Rule  of  the  Community  scroll  has  been  dated  between 
125  and  100  BC.  Of  special  interest  to  us  is  the  fact 
that  the  complete  scroll  of  Isaiah  is  about  one  thou- 
sand years  older  than  any  Hebrew  text  of  a  complete 
Old  Testament  book  known  before  the  finds  of  the 
Qumran  community.  Prior  to  the  finding  of  this 
latest  text  of  Isaiah,  the  oldest  manuscript  of  the 
Hebrew  Old  Testament  whose  date  was  positively 
known  reached  back  only  to  AD  916. 

Now  let  us  examine  the  nature  of  the  main  manu- 
scripts found  at  Qumran  and  observe  their  general 
importance  to  scholars  and  especially  any  points  of 
significance  to  Latter-day  Saints. 

The  first  scroll  to  be  published,  and  one  that  re- 
ceived unusual  publicity,  was  the  complete  manu- 
script of  Isaiah.  This  was  one  of  the  documents 
which  came  into  the  hands  of  Archbishop  Samuel  of 
St.  Mark's  Monastery  in  Jerusalem.  It  is  referred  to 
as  the  Isaiah  A  scroll.  Professor  Sukenik  of  the 
Hebrew  University,  now  deceased,  acquired  an  in- 
complete copy  of  the  text  of  Isaiah,  now  known  as 
the  Isaiah  B  scroll.  This  manuscript  consisted  of 
one  large  piece  containing  the  text  of  Isaiah  from 
chapter  38  to  66,  with  some  gaps,  and  several  smaller 
pieces  containing  parts  of  chapters  10,  13,  19-30,  and 
35-40.  The  text  of  this  incomplete  manuscript  of 
Isaiah  is  better  written  than  that  of  Isaiah  A  and 
agrees  closely  with  the  traditional  Masoretic  Hebrew 


text  of  later  times.  I  have  not  as  yet  had  the  oppor- 
tunity to  work  with  the  text  of  Isaiah  B  and  so  shall 
confine  my  discussion  to  the  text  of  Isaiah  A. 

The  text  is  for  the  most  part  very  similar  to  the 
traditional  Hebrew  text  familiar  to  scholars,  but  with 
many  differences  in  details  more  or  less  significant. 
When  word  of  the  discovery  of  this  scroll  got  around, 
scholars,  not  to  mention  many  educated  laymen,  be- 
gan to  wonder  whether  or  not  it  would  resolve  many 
of  the  literary  problems  that  have  been  raised  con- 
cerning the  text  of  Isaiah.  Would  the  manuscript 
prove,  for  example,  that  there  were  not  two  or  more 
Isaiahs?  Was  there  anything  to  the  usual  scholarly 
appellations  "Deutero-Isaiah"  and  "Trito-Isaiah"?  And 
I  was  especially  interested  because  of  the  light  the 
manuscript  might  be  expected  to  throw  on  the  prob- 
lem of  the  text  of  Isaiah  in  the  Book  of  Mormon.3 

Now  that  the  text  has  been  published,  the  critics 
tell  us  that  it  reveals  no  more  than  we  already  knew. 
However,  I  insist  that  it  is  up  to  the  critics  to  prove 
the  existence  in  the  text  of  authors  other  than  Isaiah 
the  son  of  Amoz,  which  they  haven't  done.  Certainly 
the  text  of  Isaiah  A  and  the  Septuagint  (Greek)  text 
give  no  comfort  to  the  critics,  for  these  documents 
contain  no  hint  that  authors  other  than  Isaiah  of  the 
eighth  century  BC  had  anything  to  do  with  the  text. 
When  we  have  a  manuscript  as  old  as  Isaiah  A  pur- 
ports to  be,  and  as  near  to  the  time  when  the  authors 
of  Deutero-Isaiah  and  Trito-Isaiah  were  supposed  to 
live,  we  could  reasonably  expect  that  the  writer  of 
the  scroll  would  know  something  about  them  and 
betray  it  in  his  copying.  But  the  scribe  seems  to  know 
nothing  about  Deutero-Isaiah  or  Trito-Isaiah  and 
other  supposed  authors.  And  the  scroll  definitely 
throws  out  the  theories  of  certain  critics  that  one 
or  two  sections  of  Isaiah  are  to  be  dated  in  the  age  of 
the  Maccabees,  that  is,         (Continued  on  page  970) 


QUEST 

by  Mary  Lucretia  Barker 

This  is  the  time  for  which  I  dreamed  and  worked 

Through  days  of  faith  and  trust,  through  empty  years, 

When'love  was  lit  by  storm,  baptized  in  tears. 

There  lies  the  yoke  whose  weight  I  never  shirked. 

I  once  had  visions  of  a  path  of  peace, 

A  quiet  resting  place  where  burdens  fell, 

A  calm  hiatus  from  the  waves  that  swell; 

But  now  I  know  that  struggle  will  not  cease. 

There  must  be  striving  to  attain  a  goal, 

There  must  be  effort  that  will  never  halt, 

The  quest  must  be  eternal  for  each  fault 

To  be  destroyed  by  man's  immortal  soul. 

Beloved,  you  and  I  have  shared  great  dreams, 

And  still  beyond  the  ancient  vigil  gleams. 


DECEMBER   1957 


913 


Authority 

by  Delbert  L.  Stapley 
of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve 


In  preparation  for  the  next  visit  of 
the  ward  teachers,  it  is  hoped  that 
each  family  will  read,  as  a  part  of 
their  family  hour,  this  stirring  arti- 
cle. It  is  one  of  a  series  in  which 
General  Authorities,  in  cooperation 
with  the  Presiding  Bishopric,  discuss 
the  monthly  ward   teaching  topics. 


Respect  for  and  support  of  Church  leaders  at  all 
levels  is  incumbent  upon  Church  members  by  direct 
counsel  and  admonition  from  the  Lord.    Said  he, 

"For  he  that  receiveth  my  servants  receiveth  me; 

".  .  .  and  he  that  receiveth  me  receiveth  my  Father; 

".  .  .  and  he  that  receiveth  my  Father  receiveth  my 
Father's  kingdom."  (D  &  C  84:36-38.) 

According  to  the  gospel  by  the  Apostle  John  the 
Lord  declared,  "He  that  receiveth  whomsoever  I  send 
receiveth  me;  and  he  that  receiveth  me  receiveth  him 
that  sent  me."  (John  13:20.) 

The  Savior  in  a  revelation  to  his  people  of  this 
dispensation  gave  this  admonition:  "I  say  unto  you, 
be  one;  and  if  ye  are  not  one  ye  are  not  mine."  (D  &  C 
38:27.) 

The  Apostle  Paul  writing  to  the  Hebrew  Saints 
counseled: 

"Remember  them  which  have  the  rule  over  you, 
who  have  spoken  unto  you  the  word  of  God:  whose 
faith  follow  .  .  .  and  submit  yourselves :  for  they  watch 
for  your  souls,  as  they  that  must  give  account,  that 
they  may  do  it  with  joy,  and  not  with  grief:  for  that 
is  unprofitable  for  you."  (Heb.  13:7,  17.) 

We  must  remember  there  is  not  a  single  officer  in 
the  Church  who  has  selected  himself  for  the  position 
in  which  he  serves;  he  has  been  called  by  a  higher 
authority  and  often  responds  at  considerable  personal 
sacrifice  for  a  position  he  did  not  seek.  His  love  for 
the  Lord  and  faith  in  the  Lord's  work,  also  the  sin- 
cere interest  the  chosen  leader  has  for  the  welfare  of 
the  souls  of  men,  impels  him  to  accept  appointments 
with  devotion  and  true  dedication. 

Respect  for  the  priesthood 

R.  H.  Roberts  in  a  general  conference  of  the  Church 
declared,  "There  should  be  respect  for  the  Priesthood 
of  God,  and  when  I  speak  of  respecting  the  Priest- 
hood, I  do  not  mean  merely  the  President  of  the 
Church  nor  the  Apostles  of  the  Church,  nor  the  Gen- 
eral Authorities  of  the  Church.  I  mean  them  of 
course;  but  I  also  mean  all  those  who  hold  the  Priest- 
hood. I  bespeak  respect  for  the  presidents  of  stakes; 
for  bishops  of  wards;  and  also  for  the  priests,  who 
teach  the  Gospel  at  the  firesides  of  the  people.  I 
bespeak  for  the  humblest  of  God's  servants,  as  well 
as  for  the  highest;  for  it  is  all  one  authority;  it  all 
comes  from  God."  (John  A.  Widtsoe,  Priesthood  and 
Church  Government,  pp.  196-197.) 

George  Q.  Cannon  taught:  "If  we  talk  about  the 
living  oracles  and  want  to  pay  respect  to  them,  how 
shall  we  do  this?  Shall  we  do  it  by  never  reading 
their  words;  by  paying  no  attention  to  that  which 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Family  Hour  Discussion  Topic 


they  say?  That  is  a  very  poor  way  of  doing.  We 
ought  to  listen  to  their  words.  When  we  cannot  hear 
their  words,  we  should  read  them;  for  they  are  the 
words  of  the  authorized  servants  of  God.  I  feel  that 
there  is  a  great  neglect  among  us  in  this  respect." 
(Ibid.,  pp.  63-64.) 

Priesthood  and  righteousness 

He  who  enjoys  a  position  of  leadership  and  author- 
ity must  by  an  exemplary  life  and  good  works  and  with 
love,  kindness,  and  patience,  earn  the  respect  and 
honor  of  his  people.  President  Joseph  F.  Smith  gave 
this  wise  counsel:  "If  you  will  honor  the  Holy  Priest- 
hood in  yourself  first,  you  will  honor  it  in  those  who 
preside  over  you,  and  those  who  administer  in  the 
various  callings  throughout  the  Church."  (Joseph  F. 
Smith,  Gospel  Doctrine,  1928  edition,  p.  207. )  He  also' 
exhorted  that  leaders  should  live  so  as  to  be  worthy 
of  the  authority  vested  in  them  and  worthy  of  the  gifts 
that  have  been  bestowed  upon  them.  He  gave  this 
further  counsel:  "I  believe  it  to  be  the  duty  of  the 
Church  to  recognize  and  acknowledge  every  man  who 
holds  an  official  position  in  it,  in  his  sphere  and  in  his 
calling.  I  hold  to  the  doctrine  that  the  duty  of  a 
teacher  is  as  sacred  as  the  duty  of  an  apostle,  in  the 
sphere  in  which  he  is  called  to  act,  and  that  every 
member  of  the  Church  is  as  much  in  duty  bound  to 
honor  the  teacher  who  visits  him  in  his  home,  as  he 
is  to  honor  the  office  and  counsel  of  the  presiding 
quorum  of  the  Church.  They  all  have  the  priesthood; 
they  are  all  acting  in  their  callings,  and  they  are  all 
essential  in  their  places  because  the  Lord  has  ap- 
pointed them  and  set  them  in  his  Church.  We  can- 
not ignore  them;  or,  if  we  do,  the  sin  will  be  upon 
our  heads."     (Ibid.,  p.  204.) 

President  Smith  further  advised:  "I  do  not  think 
it  is  my  right  or  prerogative  to  point  out  the  sup- 
posed defects  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  or  Brigham 
Young,  or  any  other  of  the  leaders  of  the  Church. 
Let  the  Lord  God  Almighty  judge  them  and  speak 
for  or  against  them  as  it  may  seem  to  him  good— but 
not  me;  it  is  not  for  me,  my  brethren,  to  do  this.  Our 
enemies  may  have  taken  advantage  of  us  in  times 
gone  by,  because  of  unwise  things  that  we  may  have 
said.  Some  of  us  may  now  give  to  the  world  the 
same  opportunity  to  speak  evil  against  us,  because 
of  that  which  we  say,  which  should  not  be  spoken 
at  all."  (Ibid.,  p.  223.) 

What  we  see  amiss  in  others,  we  should  not  permit 
in  ourselves.  The  Savior  in  his  profound  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  said:  "And  why  beholdest  thou  the  mote 
that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye,  but  considerest  not  the 


beam  that  is  in  thine  own  eye?"  (Matt.  7:3.) 

Men  cannot  be  good  leaders  without  also  being 
good  followers.  The  Apostle  Paul  counseled  the 
Thessalonians,  "And  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  to 
know  them  which  labour  among  you,  and  are  over 
you  in  the  Lord,  and  admonish  you; 

".  .  .  and  to  esteem  them  very  highly  in  love  for 
their  work's  sake.  And  be  at  peace  among  your- 
selves." (I  Thess.  5:12-13.) 

In  our  day  the  Savior  has  revealed:  ".  .  .  verily  I 
say  unto  you,  teach  one  another  according  to  the 
office  wherewith  I  have  appointed  you; 

"And  let  every  man  esteem  his  brother  as  himself, 
and  practise  virtue  and  holiness  before  me."  (D  &  C 
38:23-24.) 

It  is  wrong  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  the  presiding 
officers  God  has  called  through  his  appointed  serv- 
ants. It  is  our  duty  to  pray  for  them,  that  they  may 
have  the  faith,  courage,  strength,  and  desire  to  meas- 
ure fully  up  to  their  callings.  We  also  have  an  obli- 
gation to  sustain  them  by  word  and  deed.  President 
John  Taylor  taught  responsibility  in  sustaining  au- 
thority in  these  words:  "We  hold  up  our  right  hand 
when  voting  in  token  before  God  that  we  will  sustain 
those  for  whom  we  vote.  And  if  we  cannot  feel  to 
sustain  them,  we  ought  not  to  hold  up  our  hands 
because  to  do  this  would  be  to  act  the  part  of  hypo- 
crites. And  the  question  naturally  arises,  how  far 
shall  we  sustain  them?  Or  in  other  words,  how  far 
are  we  at  liberty  to  depart  from  this  covenant  which 
we  make  before  each  other  and  before  our  God? 
For  when  we  lift  up  our  hands  in  this  way,  it  is  in 
token  to  God  that  we  are  sincere  in  what  we  do,  and 
that  we  will  sustain  the  parties  we  vote  for.  .  .  .  How 
far  then  should  we  sustain  them,  and  how  far  should 
we  not?  ...  If  we  agree  to  do  a  thing  and  do  not 
do  it,  we  become  covenant  breakers  and  violators  of 
our  obligations,  which  are,  perhaps,  as  solemn  and 
binding  as  anything  we         (Continued  on  page  938) 


Elder  Delbert  Leon  Stapley  of  the 
Council    of    the    Twelve,    who 
penned   this   soul-stirring   article, 
was  sustained  a  member  of  the 
Council  at  the  October  1950  con- 
ference.     At  that   time   he   was 
serving  as  president  of  one  of 
the  Arizona  stakes. 


DECEMBER   1957 


915 


NO  ROOM 
AT  THE 

INN 


by  Frances  Yost 


NOTE:  Down  through  the  ages  people  have  come 
to  believe  that  the  innkeeper  at  Bethlehem  was  a  mean 
and  hateful  person.  Yet  the  Bible  itself  does  not  imply 
this,  merely  that  there  was  no  room  at  the  inn.  Today 
we  do  not  consider  every  innkeeper  who  puts  out  the 
"no  vacancy"  sign  as  cruel  and  hateful.  Perhaps  it 
really  happened  like  this: 

Sarid  had  never  been  so  meticulous.  Today  she 
had  scrubbed  and  polished  not  only  the  tables  and 
benches,  but  also  the  moldings  and  the  casings.  Now 
she  was  on  her  knees  scrubbing  the  rough  floor  of 
the  inn.  When  one  is  scrubbing,  there  is  much  time 
for  thinking. 

Only  this  morning  while  Raham  was  at  the  stable 
gathering  milk  from  the  kine,  Sarid  had  read  from  the 
holy  writings  of  Isaiah  a  passage  which  was  so  beauti- 
ful she  had  read  it  again  and  again.  Now  the  words 
kept  coming  back  as  she  cleaned  and  scoured:  "For 
unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given:  and 
the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder:  and  his 
name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  The 
mighty  God,  The  everlasting  Father,  The  Prince  of 
Peace." 

"Ah,"  said  Sarid,  "if  only  the  Prince  of  Peace  could 


come  and  free  the  Jews  from  bondage.  It  would  be 
wonderful  to  be  the  hostess  of  the  inn  for  the  Prince 
of  Peace."    Her  scrubbing  brush  flew  as  with  wings. 

The  big  walnut  door  of  the  inn  opened.  Raham, 
returning  from  the  market,  entered  with  fresh  bones 
with  which  to  make  broth  for  the  evening's  tired 
travelers.  He  also  carried  a  rolled  parchment  in  his 
hand. 

"It  is  news  I  have,"  said  Raham;  then  at  sight  of 
Sarid  on  bended  knee  scrubbing  the  large  rough  floor 
of  the  inn,  a  look  of  concern  came  over  his  counte- 
nance. "Why  do  you  wear  your  fingers  to  the  bone, 
Sarid?"  Raham  asked  kindly.  "Caesar's  legionnaires 
will  neither  see  thy  clean  floor  nor  honor  it.  Wine 
will  flow  freely;  brawls  will  be  common  while  they 
drink  and  make  merry.  Save  your  strength,  my  wife, 
for  the  evening's  work  of  waiting  on  tables,  and  light- 
ing the  upper  chambers." 

"What  was  the  message  on  parchment,  Raham? 
Surely  Caesar  will  not  raise  the  tax  on  the  already 
burdened  Israel!"  Sarid  lifted  her  weight  from  her 
arms  and  flourished  the  scrubbing  brush  as  if  shaking 
it  in  Caesar's  face. 

"It  is  a  message  which  commands  me  to  reserve 
food  and  shelter  for  thirty  of  Caesar's  legionnaires," 


916 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Raham  said.  "I  loathe  having  the  inn  full  of  these 
Romans.  If  only  a  ruler  of  the  Jews  would  rise  up 
and  free  us  from  this  Roman  tyranny!" 

"Raham,  it  is  written  by  the  prophets  that  a  Prince 
of  Peace  will  come.  Who  knows,  he  may  come  now 
when  Israel  is  under  bondage  and  free  us  all.  He 
may  even  stop  at  our  humble  inn.  My  thoughts  were 
on  this  great  prince;  that  is  why  I  scrub  the  floor  on 
bended  knee." 

"By  eventide  the  place  will  throng  with  Roman 
guards  and  tax  assessors,  and  each  one  will  think  he 
is  a  prince,"  Raham  laughed. 

"Raham,  my  beloved,  it  is  not  a  Pilate  or  a  Herod 
I  speak  of,"  Sarid  pleaded,  her  eyes  like  placid  pools. 
"Scripture  reveals  that  a  lawful  successor  to  the  throne 
of  Judah  will  come,  a  king  of  the  Jews!  The  words 
are  so  beautiful  I  have  committed  them  to  memory, 
'The  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder:  and  his 
name  shall  be  called  the  Prince  of  Peace!' ' 

"Sarid,  is  this  a  trick  to  get  me  to  whitewash  the 
front  of  the  inn?"  Raham  asked. 

"Time  passes  too  quickly  to  whitewash  the  inn  to- 
day, but  we  can  air  the  mats  in  the  chambers  and 
sprinkle  new  straw  on  the  barn  floor." 

"Ah,  woman,  now  even  our  stable  is  not  fit  for 
your  dream  prince's  camels.  The  life  of  an  innkeeper 
is  hard  at  best,  but  with  a  dirt-chasing  wife,  there  is 
no  rest."  Raham  was  teasing.  He  lifted  Sarid  from 
the  floor  and,  giving  her  a  light  tap  with  his  hand, 
exclaimed,  "Go  to  thy  stew  pots,  woman.  I  shall 
finish  this  scrubbing  though  it  will  not  be  done  with 
equal  skill.  Then  I  shall  clean  up  the  barn  like  a 
good  husbandman." 

"And  I  shall  help  scatter  straw  with  thee,  Raham." 
As  Sarid  prepared  the  broth,  she  crooned  a  little  over- 
ture from  the  Psalms. 

Later  when  the  inn  and  surroundings  were  in  order, 
Raham  and  Sarid  sat  on  a  bench  beneath  the  row  of 
fig  trees  at  the  entrance  to  the  stable.  It  was  a  quiet, 
secluded  place,  cool  and  pleasant,  yet  offering  a  con- 
venient view  of  the  passersby  and  the  front  door  of 
the  inn,  should  anyone  seek  lodging. 

Together  they  watched  the  weary  travelers  wending 
their  way  into  the  city  of  David.  Since  the  word  of 
Caesar  Augustus  had  been  heralded  in  every  kingdom 
and  province  saying  the  people  must  report  for  taxa- 
tion, enrolment,  and  registration,  men,  women,  and 
children  traveling  on  bare  and  sandled  feet  had  passed 
the  inn.  Others  with  moderate  means  traveled  on 
donkeys.  Still  others  more  fortunate  traveled  in  camel 
caravans,  wearing  colorful  cloaks  while  their  women 
hid  their  faces  behind  dark  veils.  All  came  to  be 
taxed,  everyone  into  his  own  city,  for  a  census  under 
Roman  rule. 

"Israel,  our  beloved  people  who  are  usually  so  con- 
tent to  stay  at  home  and  tend  the  flocks,  have  become 


as  swarming  bees  flitting  hither  and  yon,"  Sarid  said. 

"Look  at  them  come,"  Raham  replied,  "men,  women, 
and  children  from  all  walks  of  life  and  from  all 
provinces.  How  glad  I  am  that  we  are  of  the  city  of 
David  and  need  not  seek  taxation  in  a  far-off  city." 

"Yes,  we  are  fortunate  indeed,  Raham.  Perhaps 
among  these  moving  people  will  come  the  Prince  of 
Peace,  the  wonderful  counselor,  to  rise  up  and  free 
our  people  from  Roman  tyranny." 

"Reading  the  scripture  hast  made  thee  a  woman 
of  dreams."  Raham  said  reprovingly.  "Come,  let  us 
prepare  ourselves  lest  travelers  stop  and  find  us  sitting 
like  beggars  under  a  fig  tree." 

The  afternoon  wore  itself  away;  still  weary  travelers 
entered  the  gates  of  Bethlehem.  Raham  washed  and 
anointed  his  beard  and  long  hair  with  a  cinnamon 
perfumed  oil  which  Sarid  had  prepared  for  his  anni- 
versary gift.  He  washed  his  feet,  put  on  his  sandals 
and  a  brown  homespun  robe  flecked  with  red;  this, 
too,  the  work  of  Sarid's  hands.  Raham  was  dressed  to 
welcome  his  patrons.  He  hoped  that  his  appearance 
and  the  first  impression  of  the  inn  would  be  that  of 
a  modest,  industrious  innkeeper's  establishment. 

Raham  looked  about  the  entrance  hall.  It  was 
clean.  Sarid  had  dusted  the  cobwebs  from  the  log 
beams  overhead.  She  had  even  cut  curtains  of  parch- 
ment to  hang  at  the  bare  windows.  Every  table 
boasted  a  lamp  and  every  lamp  a  clean  wick  and  oil 
to  feed  it.  Sarid  had  placed  clean  robes  on  the  lounges 
about  the  walls.  Many  guests  liked  to  lounge  as  they 
supped  of  their  evening  broth.  Yes,  Raham  thought, 
Sarid  is  a  good  wife. 

Sarid  entered  the  long  entrance  hall  of  the  inn. 
Raham  caught  his  breath  at  sight  of  her.  No  longer 
was  she  a  humble  scrubwoman.  Now  she  stood  tall 
and  slim  of  waist,  wearing  a  black  bodice,  white 
blouse,  and  full  green  skirt.  She  had  draped  her  hair 
with  a  bright  red  scarf,  pinning  her  dark  tendrils 
under,  except  for  a  stray  curl  or  two  about  her  face 
and  forehead.  He  felt  that  no  man  had  a  more  loving 
or  more  beautiful  wife  than  his  Sarid.  He  must  try 
to  make  this  day  easy  for  her.  He  stopped  polishing 
the  goblets  and  walked  across  to  her. 

"Ah,  Sarid,  you  look  like  a  girl." 

Sarid's  face  took  on  an  almost  sacred  appearance. 
"Tell  me,  has  anyone  come  seeking  shelter  while  I  was 
washing  and  dressing?" 

"Not  yet,  but  daylight  is  still  with  us,"  Raham  re- 
plied. "Travelers  on  foot  cannot  stop  while  the  sun 
is  still  high;  it  would  make  their  travels  too  short. 
Yet  wise  is  the  traveler  who  seeks  shelter  before  the 
owl  hoots." 

A  rap  sounded  on  the  big  walnut  door.  The  hinges 
squeaked  as  Raham  pushed  it  open.  "Welcome  to 
the  Inn  of  Raham,"  he  said,  then  stopped  short,  for 
the  sight  before  his  eyes         (Continued  on  page  944) 


DECEMBER  1957 


917 


MIA  Reading  Course: 
Jesus  the  Christ— XVIII 


Could  he  now  be  bothered  by  such  a  little  thing  as 
the  blindness  of  one  man?  His  followers  must  have 
waited  in  breathless  silence  as  Jesus  asked  that  the 
man  be  brought  to  him. 

With  all  haste,  even  casting  aside  his  outer  garment 
so  he  wouldn't  be  slowed  down,  the  man  rose  and 
hurried  to  where  Jesus  was  waiting. 

"What  wilt  thou  that  I  should  do  unto  thee?"  the 
Lord  asked. 


Jesus  Returns 
to  Jerusalem 


by  Doyle  L.  Green, 
Managing  Editor 

"Jesus,  thou  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me!" 

It  was  the  voice  of  the  blind  man,  Bartimeus,  son 
of  Timeus,  crying  out.  From  his  place  by  the  wayside 
near  one  of  the  entrances  to  the  city  of  Jericho  down 
in  the  valley  of  the  Jordan  where  he  had  been  begging 
for  alms,  he  had  heard  the  assorted  noises  of  a  great 
multitude  approaching.  Asking  who  these  people  were 
he  was  told  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  passing  by. 

Although  he  was  blind  he  had  heard  the  stories  of 
the  many  miracles  this  Man  of  Galilee  had  wrought. 
He  had  been  told  of  his  healing  the  sick,  raising  the 
dead,  and  restoring  sight  to  unfortunate  men  such  as 
himself.  Seemingly  he  had  been  waiting  for  just 
such  an  opportunity  as  this  so  he  could  ask  the  Savior 
to  heal  him. 

Since  he  feared  that  Jesus  might  not  hear  him,  he 
had  called  out  lustily.  Many  of  the  multitude  com- 
manded him  to  be  still.  But  he  was  a  man  of  great 
faith  and  believed  that  the  Lord  could  heal  him  too, 
and  he  would  not  be  silenced.  ".  .  .  thou  son  of  David, 
have  mercy  on  me,"  he  pleaded  more  loudly  and 
vigorously  than  ever. 

Hearing  the  plaintive  cry  of  the  man,  Jesus  stopped 
his  trek  and  halted  the  great  procession. 

It  was  late  March.  Jesus  was  now  but  a  day's 
journey  from  Jerusalem.  The  time  had  come  for  him 
voluntarily  to  lay  down  his  life  as  part  of  the  great 
plan  developed  before  the  world  was  made,  to  make 
it  possible  for  all  men  to  be  resurrected.  The  massive 
weight  of  the  whole  world  hung  heavily  upon  him. 


See  page  971  for  footnotes. 


'Christ's   triumphant   entrance   into 

Jerusalem"    from    a   painting   by 

Bernhard  Ploekhorst 


918 


"Lord,  that  I  might  receive  my  sight,"  the  faithful 
man  pleaded  simply. 

Without  further  hesitation  or  questioning  Jesus  said, 
"Go  thy  way;  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole." 

Immediately  the  man  was  made  to  see,  thus  becom- 
ing, according  to  the  record,  the  sixth  sightless  man 
to  be  thus  blessed  by  the  Lord.  And  when  he  was 
healed,  he  followed  the  Savior  and  glorified  God  as 
did  "all  the  people,  when  they  saw  it." 


Word  that  the  Lord  was  passing  through  the  land 
traveled  fast,  insomuch  that  great  crowds  of  people 
gathered  along  the  sides  of  the  street  to  see  him  and 
his  followers  as  they  went  by. 

In  Jericho  there  was  a  man  who  had  an  especially 
great  desire  to  see  Jesus.  His  name  was  Zacchaeus. 
Jericho,  which  was  located  about  fifteen  miles  north- 
east from  Jerusalem,  was  known  as  the  "city  of  palm 
trees."    Lying  in  a  valley  several  hundred  feet  below 


sea  level  and  some  five  miles  from  the  north  end  of  the 
Dead  Sea,  it  had  a  semi-tropical,  though  dry,  climate. 
At  the  time,  it  was  a  very  important  and  fruitful  area, 
requiring  the  services  of  a  number  of  tax  collectors  of 
whom  Zacchaeus  was  the  chief. 

We  will  remember  that  the  Jews  despised  tax  col- 
lectors, and  even  though  Zacchaeus  was  wealthy,  he 
was  accorded  no  special  favors.  Not  having  arrived 
in  time  to  obtain  a  place  on  the  front  row,  and  being 
very  short  in  stature,  his  view  of  the  street  was 
blocked.  But,  determined  to  see  the  Lord,  he  climbed 
up  into  a  sycamore  tree. 

Picture  the  surprise  of  the  assembled  multitude, 
yes,  and  even  of  the  tax  collector  himself,  when  Jesus 
stopped  near  the  tree  and  looking  up  into  its  branches 
said,  "Zacchaeus,  make  haste,  and  come  down;  for  to- 
day I  must  abide  at  thy  house." 

Hastily  descending,  the  publican  escorted  Jesus  to 
his  house  "and  received  him  joyfully."  His  fellow 
townspeople,  however,  who  looked  upon  any  tax  col- 
lector as  a  "sinner,"  were  very  disturbed,  and  mur- 
mured against  Jesus.  But  the  Savior,  as  always,  had 
purpose  behind  his  actions,  and  had  chosen  his  host 
well.  So  thoroughly  was  Zacchaeus  converted  to  the 
words  of  the  Lord  that  he  avowed:  "Behold,  Lord, 
the  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor;  and  if  I  have 
taken  any  thing  from  any  man  by  false  accusation, 
I  restore  him  fourfold." 

It  is  easy  to  suppose  that  Zacchaeus  had  been  unfair 
in  some  of  his  past  dealings,  but  Jesus  was  convinced 
of  his  sincerity  and  knew  he  had  truly  repented.  "This 
day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house,"  he  said,  "forso- 
much  as  he  also  is  a  son  of  Abraham. 

"For  the  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save 
that  which  was  lost." 

Why  was  such  a  great  multitude  following  the 
Savior  and  why  was  there  so  much  interest  in  him 
along  the  way?  It  is  true  that  many  of  the  people 
were  making  their  annual  trek  to  attend  the  Feast 
of  the  Passover,  but  the  answer  to  this  question  seems 
to  lie  in  the  belief  many  had  that  Jesus  was  actually 
going  to  Jerusalem  to  establish  his  kingdom  upon  the 


earth.  They  thought  that  this  was  the  time  which  had 
been  spoken  of  by  their  prophets,  when  they  would 
be  liberated  from  their  hated  enemies,  and  the  glories 
of  the  days  of  David  and  Solomon  would  return. 

Jesus  knew  their  feelings  and  did  not  want  them  to 
be  disappointed  when  their  expectations  were  not 
realized.  Again  he  tried  to  explain  to  them  the  nature 
of  events  to  follow.  In  doing  so,  he  told  the  story 
which  we  have  come  to  know  as  the  parable  of  the 
ten  pounds.  This  parable  concerned  a  nobleman  who, 
before  going  into  a  far  country  "to  receive  for  himself 
a  kingdom,"  called  his  ten  servants  and  gave  to  each 
of  them  a  sum  of  money,  a  pound,  to  keep  until  he 
returned.  He  wasn't  a  very  popular  man  with  the 
citizens  of  his  country,  who  sent  word  that  they  would 
not  be  subject  to  him.  Upon  returning  he  called  his 
servants  to  him  to  see  how  each  had  fared  with  the 
pound  he  had  been  given.  One  of  them  through  the 
proper  use  of  his  money  had  turned  it  into  ten  pounds 
and  because  he  had  been  so  faithful,  was  made  ruler 
over  ten  cities.  A  second  had  gained  five  pounds  and 
was  made  ruler  over  five  cities.  A  third  returned  only 
the  pound  he  was  given:  "For  I  feared  thee,"  he  said, 
"because  thou  art  an  austere  man." 

"Out  of  thine  own         (Continued  on  page  936) 


mO*&*&i? 


> 


THE  GIFTS 

by  Alice  Thurston 


Always,   always  will  my  children  remember 
With  crystal  delight,  the  month  of  December: 
December,  December,  scarlet  and  white 
When  songs  of  the  Christ  Child  were  sung 

through  the  night 
And  Grandmother's  voice,  full  of  wonder  and 

light, 
Told  the  wondrous  tale  of  the  first  Christmas 

night. 
Sweet  are  the  memories,  dear  to  remember 
Of  the  wonderful  days  of  vivid  December. 


Yet  still  in  my  heart  and  bright  as  an  ember 
Is  the  memory  sweet  of  quiet  September. 
Quiet  September,  when  the  lamp's  amber 

core 
Revealed  Mother  sewing,  building  her  store: 
Gifts  for  the  lonely,  gifts  for  the  poor, 
For  her  own  large  brood  and  the  child  at 

the  door. 
Oh,  always,  always  will  I  remember 
The  beginning  of  Christmas  in  quiet 

September. 


920 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Christinas,  Christmas 


by  Beverly  Turley 


The  mere  sound  of  Christmas  brings  joy  to  my 
heart!  It  brings  the  glow  that  only  Christmas  can 
bring.  It  brings  warmth  and  cheer  and  gladness.  It 
brings  gaiety,  music,  and  mirth;  it  brings  reunion  with 
cherished  friends;  it  brings  glitter  and  glamour  to  our 
everyday  household;  it  brings  back  the  anticipation, 
the  fun,  the  thrill  of  my  childhood  as  I  remember  past 
Christmases. 

I  remember  the  Christmas  that  I  caught  fire!  In 
those  days  we  used  candles  to  illuminate  our  trees, 
and  while  they  were  a  breathtaking  sight  to  behold, 
they  were  dangerous.  I  lit  the  candles  at  the  bottom 
of  the  tree  first  and  then  leaned  over  them  to  light 
the  top  ones.  My  dress  was  soon  blazing  as  brightly 
as  the  tree.  I  had  to  be  rolled  quickly  on  the  carpet 
to  be  put  out! 

I  remember  the  Christmas  of  my  last  doll  and  the 
sadness  of  knowing  it  was  my  last  doll— much  like 
the  sadness  a  mother  feels  when  she  realizes  she  has 
had  her  last  little  baby  to  snuggle  in  her  arms. 


I  remember  the  Christmas  of  my  first  real  watch. 
The  finest  watch,  set  in  dazzling  diamonds,  could  not 
have  been  more  gratefully  received.  It  actually 
ticked!     Oh,  Christmas,  Christmas! 

I  can  still  hear  the  sleighbells  jingle  as  the  sleighs 
passed  over  the  frozen  crusty  snow;  I  can  still  feel 
the  warmth  of  the  big  old  stove  in  the  parlor  as  we 
children  snuggled  behind  it,  giggling  and  whispering 
of  Santa  and  presents  and  good  things  to  eat;  I  can 
still  see  the  beauty  of  our  tree  as  it  stood  in  the  same 
corner  year  after  year;  I  can  still  see  the  stocking  I 
used  to  borrow  from  my  mother— the  biggest,  the 
longest,  the  fattest  one  she  had;  it  was  always  bulging 
on  Christmas  morning  with  coconut  balls  with  rich 
creamy  centers  coated  with  chopped  nuts,  and  the 
chocolate  fudge  that  just  melted  away  in  my  mouth— 
mmmmmmm.    Oh,  Christmas,  Christmas! 

I  can  remember  those  interminable  hours  dragging 
by  until  we  could  open  our  presents! 

I  remember  the  wee         (Continued  on  page  970) 


DECEMBER   1957 


921 


C3CZ7C3a 


A    HISTORY    OF    THE    PROPHET    JOSEPH    SMITH    FOR 
YOUNG  PEOPLE,  George  Q.  Cannon 

Deseret  Book  Company,  Salt  Lake  City.  1957.  236  pages.  $1.75. 
The  reprint  of  this  book  is  of  particular,  value  for  young 
people,  parents,  and  teachers  who  will  rejoice  that  this  biog- 
raphy will  help  instil  in  young  folk  a  knowledge  of  the  divine 
calling  of  the  Prophet.  This  volume  is  particularly  basic  to 
young  folk's  understanding  of  the  Church,  since,  in  addition 
to  the  biographical  matter  it  contains,  it  also  focuses  on  the 
historical  background  in  which  the  life  of  the  Prophet  was 
Iived.-M.  C.  J. 

THE  LIFE  OF  NEPHI,  George  Q.  Cannon 
Deseret  Book  Company,  Salt  Lake  City.  1957.  167  pages.  $1.25. 
President  Cannon  states  in  his  preface,  "I  have  felt  that,  as 
I  owe  so  much  of  my  own  success  in  life  to  the  important  and 
interesting  lessons  contained  in  that  precious  record  (the  Book 
of  Mormon),  it  was  a  duty  incumbent  upon  me  to  do  all  in 
my  power  to  have  it  read  and  appreciated  as  widely  as  possible 
by  every  member  of  the  Church,  especially  the  rising  genera- 
tion." Therefore  he  wrote  the  biography  of  Nephi.  This 
biography  is  written  in  easy-to-read  language  and  will  prove 
both  enjoyable  and  stimulating  to  young  people.— M.   C.   /. 

ABOUT  BAPTISM,  Emma  Marr  Petersen 

Bookcraft,  Salt  Lake  City.  1957.  Illustrated.  70  pages.  $1.50. 
Enhanced  with  two  color  illustrations,  the  adventure  stories 
of  a  young  orphan  boy  from  Denmark  who  comes  to  the  United 
States  unfold  the  story  of  baptism  as  practised  by  the  Church. 
The  author  skilfully  weaves  sound  gospel  doctrine  into  this 
adventure  in  such  an  adroit  manner  that  it  is  easily  understood 
and  readily  accepted  by  young  people.— R.  S.  II. 

LDS  STORIES   OF  FAITH  AND   COURAGE,   Compiled  by 

Preston  Nibley 

Bookcraft,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah.  1957.  220  pages.  $2.25. 

Young  and  old  alike  love  a  good  story— and  stories  with 
morals  teach  with  unequaled  effectiveness.  These  faith-pro- 
moting adventures  build  courage,  stability,  integrity,  and  re- 
sourcefulness in  the  youth  of  the  Church.— R.  S.  H. 

* 

PAUL  OF  TARSUS,  Beta  Petersen  Neeley  and  Nathan  Glen 
Neeley 

Deseret  News  Press,  Salt  Lake  City,   Utah.  151   pages.  $2.00. 
This  book,  the  second  in  A  Child's  Story  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment (the  first  is  Jesus  of  Nazareth)  is  a  joyous  one  to  read— 


A  Reading 
Christmas 


A  Joyous  Christmas 


even  for  an  adult— and  the  sure  knowledge  of  the  worth  of  Paul 
will  come  to  young  people  written  in  words  of  their  own  under- 
standing, and  with  force  and  drama  and  assuredness. 

From  the  Preface  we  quote,  "The  scientifically  controlled 
vocabulary  makes  it  possible  for  any  person  possessing  fourth 
grade  reading  ability  to  read  this  book  with  ease.  However, 
about  12  percent  of  the  words  are  peculiar  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment, which  is  a  higher  percentage  than  is  found  in  the  Book 
of  Mormon  series,  A  Child's  Story  of  the  Pearl  of  Great  Price, 
or  Jesus  of  Nazareth." 

This  is  a  book  that  should  find  its  place,  together  with  the 
Neeleys'  other  volumes  for  young  people,  in  every  Latter-day 
Saint  home  where  there  are  children.— M.  C.  J. 

IT'S  FUN  TO  LIVE  AT  HAPPY  HOUSE,  Pictures  &  rhymes 

hy  Vera  K.  Gohman 

Warner  Press,  Anderson,  Indiana.  1957.  75  cents. 

For  the  young  this  little  picture  book  will  bring  joy  into  the 
happy  way  of  living— casually  mentioning  those  things  which 
are  essential  in  building  a  home.— M.  C.  J. 

THE  BOOK  OF  GOD,  Adventures  from  the  Old  Testament, 
April  Oursler  Armstrong 

Illustrated.  Garden  City  Books,  Garden  City,  New  York. 
447  pages.  $4.95. 

This  book  deals  with  Old  Testament  stories  and  becomes 
a  companion  volume  to  this  author's  Stories  from  the  Life  of 
Jesus.  The  book  is  well-written  and  will  be  a  delight  for  young 
people  to  read  for  themselves  to  learn  of  God's  love  for  and 
concern  about  man.— M.  C.  J. 

THE  PROUD   CIRCUS   HORSE,  Written  and  Illustrated  by 

Reiner  Zimnik 

Panteon  Books,  New  York.  1957.  232  pages.  $2.75. 

The  story  of  a  white  horse  that  ran  away  because  he  was 
so  sure  of  himself  may  serve  to  teach  an  indirect  lesson  to 
youngsters  who  at  times  run  away— or  desire  to.— M.  C.  J. 

STORIES  OF  LONG  AGO,  Ruth  S.  Gray 
Illustrated.   Warner  Press,   Anderson,   Indiana.    1957. 

This  small  book  will  interest  young  people  in  some  of  the 
Old  Testament  stories.  It  is  easily  handled  and  legibly  printed 
so  that  the  young  people  can  read  it  for  themselves.— M.  C.  J. 

JUDY'S  SURPRISING  DAY,  Sally  Scott 

Illustrated.  Harcourt,  Brace  and  Company,  New  York  17,  New 

York.  1957.  $2.25. 

With  an  unerring  insight  into  family  life— its  difficulties  and 
its  pleasures— and   with  lively   humor,   Mrs.    Scott   has   written 


922 


THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


a  story  that  small  children  will  want  to  read  again  and  again. 

-E.  J.  M. 

THE  BRAND  NEW  KITTEN,  Sally  Scott 

Illustrated.  Hat -court,  Brace  and  Company,  New  York  17,  New 

York.  1956.  $2.25. 

Peggy  wanted  more  than  anything  to  accept  Mrs.  Barton's 
offer  of  a  brand  new  kitten,  but  Old  Eb,  the  mean  "rat- 
catcher," was  jealous  of  all  Peggy's  friends,  so  what  would  he 
do  to  a  tiny  helpless  kitten?  How  Peggy  works  out  her  prob- 
lem is  charmingly  told  by  Sally  Scott.— E.  J.  M.    • 

JENNY,  Jean  Poindexter  Colby 

Illustrated.    Hastings  House,   Publishers,   New   York   22,  New 

York.  1957.  $2.50. 

Jenny  was  an  extraordinary  dog.  She  took  over  the  job  of 
guarding  the  two  younger  children  of  the  Clark's  as  well  as 
entertaining  the  whole  family  with  her  many  tricks.— E.  /.  M. 

THE  PEWTER  PLATE,  Florence  Parker  Simister 
Illustrated.    Hastings  House,   Publishers,   New   York   22,  New 
York.  1975.  $2.75. 

Life  in  Rhode  Island  during  the  Revolutionary  War  was 
hard.  Food  was  scarce;  towns  were  raided  and  occupied  by 
the  British;  and  pewter  dishes  were  taken  from  the  shelves 
to  be  melted  down  for  bullets. 

Hannah  Williams,  aged  10,  refused  to  give  her  pewter  plate 
away.  She  didn't  realize  how  selfish  this  act  was  until  her 
brother  was  wounded  in  battle.  How  she  made  up  for  keeping 
the  pewter  plate  is  the  story  of  this  book.— E.  J.  M. 

CHEROKEE  BOY,  Alexander  Key 

The  Westminster  Press,  Philadelphia.  1957.  176  pages.  $2.75. 
Tsi-ya,  fifteen  years  old,  returns  home  from  a  hurried  trip 
to  the  Secret  Place  in  the  mountains  to  consult  with  Utsala, 
the  wise  man  of  his  people.  He  finds  the  soldiers  already 
there  with  orders  to  remove  all  Cherokees  so  white  settlers 
can  have  their  rich  farm  land.  After  a  wait  in  an  open  stock- 
ade, they  begin  the  long  march  west,  the  Trail  of  Tears,  dotted 
with  graves  of  the  many  dead.  With  four  others  Tsi-ya  es- 
capes as  winter  sets  in  and  despite  many  obstacles  makes  his 
way  back  the  five  hundred  miles  to  the  Secret  Place.—/.  II.  Z. 

BROTHER    AGAINST    BROTHER,    Selected    by    Phyllis    R. 

Fenner 

William  Morrow  &  Co.,  New  York.  1957.  192  pages.  $3.00. 

These  are  stories  of  courageous  men— and  boys  and  women— 
who  were  involved  in  the  great  Civil  War.  The  war  touched 
their  lives  in  various  ways,  and  their  reactions  make  interesting 
stories.  Authors  include  Carl  Sandburg,  MacKinlay  Kantor, 
Walter  D.  Edmonds,  and  Stephen  Vincent  Benet.— /.  H.  Z. 

INSECT  ENGINEERS,  Ruth  Bartlett 

William  Morrow  &  Co.,  New  York.  1957.  128  pages.  $2.75. 

All  about  ants,  how  they  build  their  homes,  raise  their  own 
food,  care  for  the  babies.  The  queen  is  the  mother  of  the 
city.     The  workers  feed  and  care  for  her  and  her  many  babies. 

-J.  H.   Z. 

THE  OUTSIDE  CAT,  Jane  Thayer 

Illustrated.    William  Morrow  &  Co.,  New  York.  1957.  32  pages. 

$2.95. 

Samuel  was  the  outside  cat,  but  he  wanted  to  be  an  inside 
cat.  The  door  opened  for  the  postman,  the  laundryman,  and 
the  inside  cat,  but  never  for  Samuel.  Then  he  got  inside  only 
to  find  that  everyone  else  had  left  and  he  couldn't  get  outside 
again.     But  it  all  turned  out  well  in  the  end.—/.  H.  Z. 


BROOMS,  BUTTONS  AND  BEAUX,  Emily  R.  Dow 
M.  Barrows  &  Co.,  New  York.  1957.  189  pages.  $2.25. 

This  is  a  "how  to  do  it"  book  for  teen-agers.  Plain  talk 
about  everything  to  help  a  girl  keep  house,  care  for  children, 
entertain,  and  be  popular  and  well-groomed.  This  book  is 
crammed  full  of  facts,  clearly  indexed— better  than  having  an 
adult  on  tap  for  advice.—/.  H.  Z. 

THE  SWEET  PATOOTIE  DOLL,  Mary  Calhoun 
William  Morrow  &  Co.,  New  York.  1957.  32  pages.  $2.75 

Lucy  made  the  Sweet  Patootie  Doll  from  a  sweet  potato,  a 
yellow  handkerchief,  and  a  bit  of  wool.  She  loved  her  doll 
very  much,  but  one  day  she  left  her  lying  on  a  stump.  The 
animals  and  even  Old  Houn'  Dog  found  the  Sweet  Patootie 
Doll  and  planned  to  eat  her  for  dinner,  but  the  doll  wasn't 
worried.     She  knew  what  she  was  for,  and  it  wasn't  for  eating. 

-/.  H.  Z. 

LEAPER,  The  Story  of  an  Atlantic  Salmon,  Robert  M.  McClung 
William  Morrow  &  Co.,  New  York.  1957.  64  pages.  $2.25 

The  life  story  of  a  salmon  from  the  time  he  hatches  from  a 
pale  pink  egg  in  a  quiet  pool  in  a  small  stream  until  he  returns 
to  that  same  pool  years  later  to  spawn,  after  many  perils 
and  adventures  in  the  stream  and  the  vast  sea.—/.  H.  Z. 

MICE,  AT  HOME  AND  AFIELD,  Olive  L.  Earle 
William  Morrow  &  Co.,  Neiv  York.  1957.  64  pages.  $2.25. 

There  are  many  kinds  of  mice  in  the  world,  a  few  destructive, 
some  beneficial,  but  all  interesting.  This  book  tells  about  their 
nests,    their    habits,    their    enemies,    their    physical    features. 

-/.  H.  Z. 

THE  WISHING  BOOK  DOLL,  Gwendolyn  Bowers 

William  Morrow  &  Co.,  New  York.  Illustrated.  1957.  64  pages. 

$2.25. 

Today  Nicole  was  eight  years  old.  More  than  anything  she 
wanted  the  talking  doll  with  the  blue  eyes  and  frilly  pink  dress 
in  the  Wishing  Book  (mail  order  catalog).  Could  six  white 
horses  and  three  red-haired  ladies  all  seen  on  the  same  day  get 
her  wish  for  her?—/.  H.  Z. 

THE  RAINBOW  BOOK  OF  NATURE,  Donald  Culross  Peattie 
Illustrated.  World  Publishing  Co.,  Cleveland  and  New  York. 
1957.  320  pages.  $4.95. 

The  name  of  this  author  insures  delight  and  magic  in  the 
unfoldment  of  the  world  in  which  we  live.  He  has  long  ac- 
complished this  magic  for  adults;  now  he  has  introduced  young 
people  to  the  vibrance  of  his  interests.  Of  course,  most  par- 
ents will  treasure  this  book  for  themselves  and  will  let  their 
children  handle  it  on  rare  occasions.  This  is  a  book  to  live 
with  and  to  use  to  create  a  new  awareness  of  the  world  about 
us.-M.  C.  /. 

ROBERT  E,  Florence  Musgrave 

Hastings  House,  Publishers,  New  York.  1957.  $2.75. 

Robert  E  is  an  appealing  story  for  boys  and  girls  of  the 
upper  elementary  grades. 

Robert  E  was  named  after  the  great  general,  Robert  E.  Lee. 
Whether  living  up  to  the  name  made  him  such  a  scrapper,  no- 
body knew.  And  scrapping  was  all  right,  of  course,  in  the 
easy-going  life  with  his  grandfather;  but  when  his  mother  ap- 
peared and  moved  them  both  to  the  city,  things  began  to 
happen.— E.  J.  M.  ( Concluded  on  page  961 ) 


DECEMBER  1957 


923 


Leadership  Development 


Operation 
Andrew 


by  Sterling  W.  Sill 
Assistant  to  the  Council  of  the  Twelve 


At  the  very  beginning  of  the  Savior's  ministry, 
John  the  Baptist  was  at  Bethabara  beyond  Jordan,  and 
when  he  saw  Jesus  he  said,  "Behold  the  Lamb  of 
God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  Two 
of  John's  disciples  heard  him  and  followed  Jesus.  One 
of  the  two  was  Andrew,  Simon  Peter's  brother.  As 
soon  as  Andrew  had  satisfied  himself  about  the  divine 
mission  of  Jesus,  he  hurried  to  tell  Peter,  and  the  rec- 
ord says  of  Andrew,  "He  first  findeth  his  own  brother, 
Simon,  and  saith  unto  him,  We  have  found  the 
Messias,  .  .  .  And  he  brought  him  unto  Jesus."  (See 
John  1:29-42.) 

We  are  familiar  with  the  tremendous  impact  that 
Jesus  had  upon  the  life  of  Simon  Peter  and  with  the 
great  work  which  Peter  subsequently  did.  But  Peter 
didn't  find  Jesus  by  himself.  He  was  brought  to  Jesus 
by  his  brother,  and  someone  has  called  this  process  of 
discovery  and  contact,  "Operation  Andrew."  It  in- 
dicates one  of  the  most  important  areas  for  leadership 
development.  There  are  many  people  who  may  never 
have  found  themselves  nor  their  places  in  the  world, 
if  others  had  not  been  their  discoverers. 

Influenced  by  contacts  with  others 

One  of  the  most  important  ideas  that  every  Church 
leader  should  impress  upon  his  own  mind  is  the  tre- 
mendous influence  that  one  personality  may  have  upon 
another.  We  are  not  only  our  brother's  keeper;  we  are 
also  responsible  for  his  discovery  and  progress. 

The  influence  of  individual,  personal  attention  can 
produce  one  of  the  strongest  powers  known  in  the 
world.  Many  lives  besides  Peter's  have  been  greatly 
changed  by  it.  This  individual  work  was  the  basis 
of  one  of  the  most  instructive  of  the  teachings  of  Jesus. 
In  the  parable  of  the  lost  sheep,  Jesus  pointed  out  with 
obvious  common  sense  that  a  good  shepherd  should 
give  each  of  his  flock  his  individual,  personal  atten- 
tion; that  is,  all  of  the  work  cannot  be  done  in  the 


corral  on  a  "flock"  basis.  There  must  be  many  indi- 
vidual trips  out  into  the  mountains  to  visit  those  with 
a  tendency  to  stray  away. 

Inspiration  is  usually  borrowed 

Most  of  the  inspiration  that  activates  any  life  is 
usually  borrowed  from  someone  else.  And  the  most 
effective  way  to  influence  human  beings  for  good 
is  on  a  personal,  individual,  face-to-face  basis.  The 
sick  patient  feels  better  after  a  visit  from  the  doctor. 
The  mentally  ill  can  be  cured  by  the  psychiatrist  with- 
out medicine  or  surgery,  if  the  practitioner  is  skilled 
in  the  science  of  human  understanding. 

In  the  Church  we  frequently  refer  to  our  privilege 
to  receive  inspiration.  We  do  not  always  remember 
the  importance  of  our  privilege  to  give  inspiration.  A 
great  personality  can  exercise  a  creative,  vitalizing, 
regenerating  power  in  the  lives  of  others;  in  fact, 
ability  in  this  area  is  the  foundation  of  almost  all  suc- 
cess in  business,  law,  medicine,  social  work,  spiritual 
activities,  and  a  big  proportion  of  the  whole  field  of 
human  relations  depends  upon  it.  Almost  every  ac- 
tivity flourishes  under  its  touch  and  withers  when  it 
is  discontinued. 

In  the  Church,  skill  in  personal,  individual  relation- 
ships is  the  foundation  of  conversion,  training,  super- 
vision, and  motivation.  All  personal  welfare  work 
depends  upon  it,  and  it  is  the  very  heart  of  our  pub- 
lic relations.  Some  call  this  process  "the  missionary 
approach";  others  call  it  just  "personal  work."  For 
this  occasion,  I  would  like  to  call  it  "Operation  An- 
drew," to  help  me  to  remember  that  this  was  the  way 
the  chief  apostle  was  brought  to  know  the  Lord.  It 
may  also  help  us  to  remember  the  great  power  that 
we  have  to  influence  others  for  good  in  the  same  way. 

A  little  individual  attention  at  the  right  time  can 
work  wonders.  Sometimes  entire  lives  are  changed 
by  the   smallest  circumstances,   and  probably   every 


924 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


There  are  many  people 
who  may  never  have  found 
themselves  nor  their  place 
in  the  world,  if  others  had 
not  been  their  discoverers. 


person  owes  much  of  his  success,  just  as  Peter  did,  to 
the  friendly  assistance  of  someone  else.  One  great 
man  was  once  asked  the  secret  of  his  radiant,  useful 
life,  and  he  replied,  "I  had  a  friend." 

When  I  was  seven  years  old,  we  had  a  kindly  ward 
teacher  who  used  to  come  and  talk  with  our  family 
about  the  principles  of  the  gospel.  I  suppose  that  in 
one  way,  every  human  spirit  is  "radioactive."  There 
is  something  that  we  might  call  "spiritual  fall-out"  that 
we  get  in  the  presence  of  a  great  man.  The  woman 
in  the  crowd  received  virtue  from  touching  the  gar- 
ment of  Jesus.  That  is  the  way  I  felt  about  being  in 
the  presence  of  our  ward  teacher.  Even  at  age  seven, 
I  could  feel  the  spiritual  radiations  that  came  from 
this  humble,  devoted  servant  of  the  Lord,  and  I  could 
feel  the  response  in  my  own  heart  which  even  then 
I  was  aware  was  helping  to  give  my  life  its  direction. 

One  of  the  greatest  of  my  experiences  came  one 
Sunday  when  I  was  ten  and  met  the  stake  president. 
I  just  happened  to  get  in  the  aisle  at  the  right  time, 
and  he  stopped  and  shook  my  hand  and  asked  me 
what  my  name  was.  Then  he  asked  me  what  my 
father's,  name  was,  and  he  told  me  that  he  knew  my 
father.     I   suppose  that  this   interview   lasted  for  a 


total  of  one  minute,  but  something  wonderful  hap- 
pened to  me  in  that  period,  as  I  felt  his  warm,  spiritual 
interest.  I  decided  right  then  that  someday  I  would 
like  to  represent  in  my  life  some  of  the  qualities  that 
I  felt  in  him. 

A  similar  experience  has  been  had  by  everyone. 
Consciously  or  unconsciously  we  are  influenced  every 
day  by  our  contacts  with  others.  Thomas  Curtis 
Clark  has  written  up  our  common  experience  as  fol- 
lows: 

7  saw  him  once:  he  stood  a  moment  there, 
He  spoke  a  word  that  laid  his  spirit  bare; 
He  clasped  my  hand,  then  passed  beyond  my  ken- 
But  what  I  was,  I  shall  not  be  again. 

One  of  our  greatest  opportunities  for  leadership 
development  is  to  learn  to  use  this  great  power  more 
often  and  more  effectively.  The  parable  recommended 
so  strongly  by  Jesus  said  something  about  leaving  the 
ninety-and-nine  to  help  the  one  that  was  lost.  If  we 
were  to  bring  this  parable  up  to  date  statistically, 
and  apply  it  to  our  own  Church  work,  we  might  find 
that  there  were  only  forty  in  the  sheepfold  each  Sun- 
day morning  and  sixty  in  need  of  our  special  attention. 

When  Jesus  said  over  and  over  to  Peter,  "Feed  my 
sheep,"  he  certainly  did  not  mean  to  feed  just  those 
that  were  safe  in  the  sheepfold  where  the  feeding 
could  be  done  on  a  mass  basis.  One  of  the  greatest 
opportunities  to  feed  the  flock  of  Jesus  is  to  do  the 
"outside  work"  with  those  who  don't  show  up  very 
often  at  the  corral.  We  need  to  learn  our  way  around 
in  the  mountains  a  little  better. 

We  sometimes  practise  too  much  of  the  "verbal 
Christianity"  spoken  of  by  James,  where  we  merely 
say  in  substance,  "Be  ye  warmed  and  filled"  and  let 
it  go  at  that.  The  organization  known  as  Alcoholics 
Anonymous  can  teach         (Continued  on  page  954) 


DECEMBER   1957 


925 


Missionary  Helps 


The  Scriptural  Formula 


by  Gordon  T.  Allied,  Staff  Writer 


A  question  for  the  Christian 
world:  What  is  it  that  distin- 
guishes the  valid  scriptural  inter- 
pretation from  the  private  one? 


Knowing  this  first,  that  no  prophecy  of  the  scripture 
is  of  any  private  interpretation.  (II  Pet.  1:20.) 

In  a  Christian  world  of  some  250  conflicting  sects, 
each  with  its  learned  theologians,  each  with  its 
scholars— one  question  appears  persistently:  What 
distinguishes  the  valid  scriptural  interpretation  from 
the  private  one? 

Most  Bible  students  agree  that  some  of  the  scrip- 
tures have  lost  their  original  clarity.  This  they  at- 
tribute to  various  factors,  including  errors  in  transla- 
tion, alteration  and  deletion  of  passages  by  uninspired 
men,  and  changes  in  the  language  itself. 

Bible  students  generally  agree  that  scriptural  under- 
standing may  be  enhanced  by  studying  Biblical 
history,  analyzing  scriptures  in  their  context,  by  learn- 
ing Greek  and  Hebrew.  None  of  them  agree,  how- 
ever, on  whose  scriptural  interpretation  is  valid  and 
whose  is  private. 

The  Jehovah's  Witness  argues  that  his  interpreta- 
tion is  valid  because  he  has  a  Bible  translation  "from 
the  original  Greek,"*  or  even  because  he  carries  a 
variety  of  translations.  The  Catholic  priest  claims 
tradition,  the  "infallibility  of  the  pope,"  and  years  of 
personal  study.  Likewise,  the  Jewish  rabbi  claims 
erudite  scholarship  as  the  key  to  Old  Testament  un- 
derstanding. 

In  addition,  everyone  is  egocentric  to  an  extent. 
Somehow  almost  every  religion,  by  the  very  virtue  of 
its  existence,  by  the  sole  fact  that  it  is  what  it  is, 
claims  to  have  the  best  interpretation. 

Many  a  Bible  student  can  recite  Peter's  declaration 
that,  "no  prophecy  of  the  scripture  is  of  any  private 
interpretation."  And,  it  is  so  very  natural,  so  human 
to  maintain,  "My  interpretation  is  correct  because  .  .  . 
I  am  who  I  am.    Your  interpretation  is  private,  false." 

*No    one    actually   has    the    original   Greek— merely   the    earliest   records 
available. 


In  the  face  of  such  disagreement,  attempts  at  in- 
terpretation seem  absurd  to  many  people.  Even 
more  absurd,  to  some,  is  the  young  Mormon  mission- 
ary who,  often  without  worldly  wisdom  or  secular 
training,  strides  into  the  scriptural  thicket.  For  he, 
too,  claims  the  correct  interpretation. 

Curiously,  however,  he  pretends  to  no  scholarship, 
line  of  tradition,  or  special  translation.  He  does  not 
imply  that  such  things  are  unimportant  but  says  that 
they  are  not  enough.  He  does  not  suggest  that  his 
understanding  of  God's  word  is  superior  simply  be- 
cause he  is  a  Latter-day  Saint.  For  him,  to  claim 
superior  interpretation  through  any  earthly  means 
would  be  futile  and  ridiculous.  He  would  then  be 
placing  himself  and  his  church  on  the  same  level 
with  every  other  sect  of  Christendom. 

He  represents  an  organization  which  has  asked 
some  telling  questions:  "Who  correctly  interpreted  the 
scriptures  when  they  were  first  recorded?  Who  cor- 
rectly interpreted  the  Old  Testament  in  Christ's  time? 
What  was  the  key?"  Such  queries  bring  an  inevitable 
conclusion:  The  only  men  with  a  key  to  the  scriptures 
were  the  men  through  whom  those  scriptures  came— 
the  prophets  of  God. 

Simply  stated,  a  good  deal  of  our  Bible  scripture  is 
the  recorded  word  of  God,  spoken  through  his  proph- 
ets. Whenever  these  divine  words  are  altered  by 
mortal  tampering,  God  himself  must  clarify  them 
through  his   prophets. 

Peter's  statement  regarding  interpretation  bears  this 
out,  when  read  in  its  full  context:  "Knowing  this  first, 
that  no  prophecy  of  the  scripture  is  of  any  private 
interpretation.  For  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old 
time  by  the  will  of  man:  but  holy  men  of  God  spake 
as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost."  (II  Peter 
1:21.    Italics  author's.) 

Scholarship  not  the  key 

It  is  evident  then,  that  the  scriptures  themselves  set 
forth  the  formula  for  their  own  interpretation. 

If  scholarship  were  the  key,  why  did  the  Jewish 
savants,  two  thousand  years  ago,  reject  the  very 
Christ  of  whom  their  scriptures  foretold?  Why  would 
they  have  committed  such  an  error  as  to  have  ac- 
cepted the  Old  Testament  predictions  of  his  second 
coming  as  a  mighty  king,  but  have  overlooked  or  mis- 


926 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


The  roll  of  the  Law:  Pales 


interpreted  the  predictions  regarding  his  first  coming 
as  a  lowly  Lamb? 

Obviously,  scholarship  was  not  the  key;  neither  was 
tradition  or  ancient  scriptural  record.  The  Jews  had 
all  these.  With  all  their  worldly  acumen  they  lacked 
the  essential  ingredient— revelation— continual  word 
from  God. 

Only  by  revelation  could  the  unlettered  fisherman 
of  Galilee  have  interpreted  Old  Testament  scriptures, 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  con- 
vert the  multitude  of  unbelievers. 

Only  by  revelation  could  he  have  cited  Joel  to  ex- 
plain the  manifestation  of  tongues— the  phenomenal 
fact  that  his  own  words  were  understandable  to  each 
of  the  nationalities  assembled  on  that  day: 

And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  were  in  doubt,  saij- 
ing  one  to  another,  What  meaneth  this? 

Others  mocking  said,  These  men  are  full  of  new 
wine. 

But  Peter,  standing  up  with  the  eleven,  lifted  up  his 
voice,  and  said  unto  them,  Ye  men  of  Judaea,  and 
all  ye  that  dwell  at  Jerusalem,  be  this  known  unto  you, 
and  hearken  to  my  words: 

For  these  are  not  drunken,  as  ye  suppose,  seeing  it 
is  but  the  third  hour  of  the  day. 

But  this  is  that  which  was  spoken  by  the  prophet 
Joel: 

And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  saith  God, 
I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh:  and  your 
sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy,  and  your 
young  men  shall  see  visions,  and  your  old  men  shall 
dream  dreams:  .  .  .  (Acts  2:12-17.) 

Similarly,  Paul  interpreted  the  Psalms,  to  convert 
the  residents  of  Antioch: 

And  we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how  that  the 
promise  which  was  made  unto  the  fathers, 

God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  unto  us  their  children, 
in  that  he  hath  raised  up  Jesus  again;  as  it  is  also  writ- 
ten in  the  second  psalm,  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day 
have  I  begotten  thee. 

And  as  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from  the 
dead,  now  no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  he  said 
on  this  wise,  I  will  give  you  the  sure  mercies  of  David. 

Wherefore  he  saith  also  in  another  psalm,  Thou  shalt 
not  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption. 

For  David,  after  he         {Continued  on  page  942) 


During  the  four  hundred  years  that  elapsed  between, 
the  Old  and  New  Testament  prophets,  scriptures  once 
clear  had  become  ambiguous.  Scholars  had  taken  the 
helm  and  prophets  had  disappeared. 
If  four  hundred  years  so  obscured  the  Old  Testament 
that  its  readers  could  not  even  recognize  the  Christ  of 
whom  it  prophesied,  what  will  nineteen  hundred  years 
have  done  to  the  New  Testament? 

Since  prophets  were  necessary  to  clarify  the  Old  Testa- 
ment during  Christ's  first  advent,  should  they  not  also 
be  necessary  to  clarify  both  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments before  Christ's  second  advent?  Have  the  scrip- 
tures since  Christ's  birth  become  less  subject  to  confusion 
than  they  were  before?  The  confusion  of  Christendom 
denies  it. 


DECEMBER   1957 


927 


To  Be  a  King 

by  Hugh  J.  Cannon,  a  Former  Editor  of  the  Era. 


SYNOPSIS 

David,  a  descendant  of  John  Hyrcanus,  the  founder  of  the 
Jewish  monarchy,  is  a  pretender  to  the  throne  now  held  by 
Herod  Antipas.  Just  as  David  feels  the  throne  is  truly  within 
his  grasp,  however,  a  grave  problem  arises.  David  has  en- 
countered a  Nazarene  carpenter,  whom  he  believes  is  the 
promised  Messiah.  But  none  of  his  associates,  including  his 
inamorata,  Ruth,  agree  with  him,  and  already  trouble  is  brewing. 
During  a  turbulent  council  meeting  in  Jerusalem,  David  has 
come  to  blows  with  his  arch-enemy,  Zebulon,  and  has  tendered 


his  resignation.  He  will  not  and  cannot  deny  the  divinity  of 
the  Nazarene.  Only  a  few  days  after  this,  he  meets  with  a  close 
friend,  Elihu,  and  the  venerable  old  man  seems  determined  to 
rescue  David  from  his  dangerous  new  obsession.  David's  return 
to  Jericho  from  Jerusalem  is  followed  by  an  attempt  on  his 
life.  With  the  aid  of  his  stalwart  servant,  Hassan,  David  over- 
whelms the  would-be  assassins  and  discovers  one  of  them  to 
be  Gideon,  acting  as  Zebulon's  henchman.  Gideon,  however, 
penitent,  promises  to  provide  David  information  concerning 
plots  against  the  Nazarene. 


Part  IX 


One  day,  as  David  was  returning  from  a  solitary 
walk,  a  letter  was  handed  to  him  by  Elihu.  The  old 
man's  face  was  suffused  with  smiles.  The  letter  was 
from  Ruth. 

"My  Beloved, 

"Will  you  pardon  my  boldness  in  addressing  you 
thus  after  all  that  has  occurred?  But  verily  you  must 
always  be  beloved  by  me  whether  you  relent  suffi- 
ciently to  forgive  me  or  not.  Can  you  come  to  my 
home  this  evening?  Constantly  since  we  parted  my 
heart  has  pleaded  with  me  to  send  for  you.  At  last 
I  am  prepared  to  share  with  you  what  appears  now 
to  be  disgrace,  as  I  was  to  share  honor.  Father  Elihu 
and  I  discuss  you  constantly.  He  has  been  true  and 
loyal  even  when  I,  who  should  have  been  the  last  to 
waver  in  devotion,  was  resentful  and  judged  you 
harshly.    Can  I  ever  be  forgiven? 

"David,  I  do  not  understand  your  feelings  nor  what 
impels  you  forward  in  this  strange  course,  but  I  do 
believe  in  you  and  trust  and  love  you." 

As  David  finished  reading,  Elihu  said,  "David,  you 
are  heaven-blessed.  Only  once  in  my  life  have  I 
known  a  woman  Ruth's  equal.  You  must  hasten  to 
her." 

"Yes,  I  must.  I  am  overcome  with  joy.  Will  you 
go  with  me?" 

"Most  certainly  not.  I  would  only  be  in  the  way. 
But  perhaps  I  shall  call  by  for  a  moment  before  the 
evening  is  over." 

With  heart  beating  tumultuously  and  sensations 
that  were  almost  overpowering,  David  approached 
Ruth's  home.  The  happiness  in  her  face  as  she  rushed 
to  meet  him  would  have  brought  about  a  reconcilia- 
tion had  it  not  already  been  effected. 

"David,  I  feared  I  had  lost  you  forever,"  the  girl 
said  when  she  had  partially  regained  her  composure. 
"Forgive  me  for  my  disloyalty,"  she  sobbed,  "in  the 
hour  of  your  greatest  need." 

Holding  her  close,  he  replied,  "You  must  not  ask 
forgiveness;  you  have  heard  evil  and  nothing  else  of 
him  in  whom  I  so  profoundly  believe." 

"That  matters  not,"  replied  Ruth.  "Unless  a  woman 
has  confidence  enough  in  a  man  to  follow  him,  she 
should  never  consider  him  as  a  husband." 

Taking  her  hand  firmly  in  his  own,  David  said, 
"Let  us  walk."  Silently,  as  though  there  was  too  much 
to  be  said,  the  two  of  them  strolled  into  the  garden. 
By  the  time  Elihu  called  later  in  the  evening,  they  had 


reconciled  a  great  many  things. 

"Father  Elihu,  rejoice  with  us,"  exclaimed  David, 
"for  in  spite  of  all  that  has  occurred  Ruth  consents  to 
marry  me." 

Elihu  took  the  girl  in  his  arms  and  kissed  her 
tenderly.  "I  have  known  for  a  long  time  that  she 
would,"  he  beamed.  "When  does  the  marriage  take 
place?" 

"Immediately— that  is,  within  two  weeks." 

"Splendid;  you  are  acting  wisely  in  hastening  it!" 

Suddenly  the  old  man  grew  solemn.  "There  is  some- 
thing which  you  should  know,  David.  You  cannot 
comprehend  the  hatred  which  is  entertained  for  the 
Nazarene.  There  are  those  who  would  gladly  kill 
him  and  even  now  are  planning  to  bring  about  his 
death." 

"Planning  to  kill  him!"  exclaimed  David,  paling. 
"How  can  they  consider  such  a  thing?" 

"Is  it  nothing  that  he  calls  us  a  generation  of  vipers? 
Besides,  he  recently  caused  a  great  disturbance  in  the 
temple  at  Jerusalem  and  gave  unpardonable  offense 
to  many.  But  no  matter.  Personally,  I  have  no 
venom  in  my  heart  against  him." 

"You  alarm  me  greatly.     Is  his  danger  imminent?" 

Then  followed  a  debate  between  the  two  men. 
Fearful  for  the  Nazarene's  safety,  David  seemed  bent 
on  leaving  straightway  for  Jerusalem.  Simultaneously, 
he  felt  his  immediate  obligations  to  Ruth— to  their 
marriage.  Indeed,  as  Elihu  averred,  it  was  possible 
that  Ruth  herself  might  be  in  danger  now  that  she 
had  courageously  cast  her  lot  with  David  once  more. 

"How  is  one  to  decide  between  two  equally  in- 
sistent duties?"  the  young  man  exclaimed. 

"There  is  no  conflict,"  interposed  Elihu.  "Your 
duty  is  here.  If  you  are  under  obligations  to  this  man, 
I  can  discharge  them  better  than  you.  Some  of  those 
whose  names  have  been  mentioned  as  plotting  against 
him  are  my  friends  and  will  be  reasonably  frank  with 
me,  whereas  you,  being  a  believer,  would  defeat  your- 
self.    Besides,  I  have  in  mind  your  own  safety." 

"I  must  have  a  better  reason  than  fear  for  remain- 
ing here." 

"Wisdom  and  duty,  not  fear,  must  detain  you.  If 
danger  actually  is  impending,  it  completely  refutes 
your  belief  in  him,  for  if  by  any  possibility  he  is  what 
you  suppose,  no  mortal  aid  in  his  behalf  will  be  re- 
quired. The  Messiah  could  call  down  fire  from  heaven 
to  consume  his  enemies." 

Ruth  added  her  arguments  and  entreaties  to  Elihu's 


DECEMBER  1957 


929 


reasoning. 

"Your  words  are  plausible,"  said  David,  "but  do  not 
carry  complete  conviction.  If  serious  danger  threatens 
this  man  whom  I  have  acknowledged  as  the  Messiah, 
I  should  exert  myself  to  avert  it." 

"Now,  my  boy,"  Elihu  said  decisively,  "this  is  my 
final  word  on  the  subject.  You  would  be  committing 
a  gross  wrong  to  leave  Ruth  alone  at  this  time  in 
order  to  assist  a  man  who  is  above  danger  if  he  is 
the  Messiah,  and  deserving  of  severe  punishment  if  an 
impostor.  Whatever  he  may  be,  I  pledge  myself  to 
extend  to  him  all  possible  aid.  Shall  I  undertake  it 
or  will  you  go  alone  in  your  own  blind,  impulsive 
way?" 

"My  dear  old  friend,  I  know  you  express  the  con- 
victions of  your  heart,  and  I  no  longer  resist.  You  go, 
then,  with  the  promise  to  keep  me  informed." 

"In  view  of  your  impatience,"  Elihu  said,  "I  shall 
be  off  immediately  for  Jerusalem,  where  the  Nazarene 
is  reported  to  be." 

"You  will  be  back  for  the  wedding?"  Ruth  asked. 
"It  will  not  be  the  elaborate  affair  we  formerly 
planned,  but  it  would  be  most  incomplete  if  for  any 
reason  you  should  fail  to  be  present." 

"Then  trust  me  to  make  it  as  complete  as  possible." 

He  embraced  her  again,  and  there  were  tears  in 
the  kindly  old  eyes.  "I  hope  you  are  happy,  my 
daughter." 

"Very  happy,  though  still  much  troubled." 

"Between  us  we  must  take  this  young  man  in  hand 
and  train  him  to  our  liking!  Now,  David,  the  dawn 
is  almost  here.  I  have  much  to  discuss  with  you  and 
will  gladly  accept  your  hospitality.  Say  farewell  to 
Ruth  and  let  us  be  on  our  way." 

It  was  only  tw7o  days  before  their  marriage  date 
that  David  and  Ruth  sat  together  on  the  broad  roof 
of  her  home.  There,  in  the  twilight,  they  discussed 
for  the  hundredth  time  their  hopes  for  the  future. 

For  a  while  they  sat  pensive,  watching  light  fade 
along  the  horizon,  smelling  the  odor  of  the  myrtle 
twining  beneath  their  feet.  David  was  thinking  of 
Ruth's  courage,  and  love.     What  if  that  fateful  call 


upon  the  Nazarene  had  never  been  made?  Of  course, 
he  told  himself,  he  would  have  remained  a  happy, 
carefree  man,  in  comparison,  honored  and  praised  by 
his  fellows.  One  five-minute  conversation  had  cost 
him  a  kingdom  and  changed  the  whole  course  of  his 
life.  And  now,  it  had  changed  the  course  of  Ruth's 
life,  subjected  her  to  a  tremendous  sacrifice. 

Still  ...  he  rejoiced  that  his  path  had  crossed  that 
of  the  Savior. 

He  was  recalled  to  the  present  by  Ruth's  gentle 
voice. 

"Father  Elihu  should  be  here  tonight." 

"Yes,  and  he  will  not  disappoint  us.  Perhaps  that 
is  he  coming  now." 

But  instead  of  Elihu,  Haran  and  Martha  appeared. 
The  girl's  lips  were  trembling,  but  the  tears  which 
she  vainly  tried  to  repress  did  not  lessen  the  resolu- 
tion shining  in  her  eyes.  She  made  a  heroic  effort  to 
greet  her  friends  in  the  usual  manner,  but  the  inward 
tumult  was  too  strong,  and  she  threw  herself  into 
Ruth's  arms  and  sobbed  bitterly. 

"Why,  Martha,  what  is  the  matter?" 

"It  has  come  to  an  issue  in  our  home.  Father  de- 
mands that  I  choose  between  my  parents  and  my 
belief,  and  I  have  followed  David's  example  by  choos- 
ing according  to  my  conscience.  Father  drove  me 
forth.     I  am  penniless  and  homeless." 

"She  need  not  remain  so,"  Haran  made  haste  to 
explain.  "I  am  urging  her  to  marry  me  at  once  and 
come  to  my  home." 

"Uncle  Nicodemus  rebuked  Father  for  his  harshness 
and  invited  me  to  live  with  him;  but  Haran  and  I 
understand  and  love  each  other  and  now  have  so 
much  in  common  that.  .  .  ." 

David  and  Ruth  joined  Haran  in  urging  her  to  con- 
sent, and  a  hearty  invitation  was  extended  for  her  to 
remain  with  Ruth  until  she  could  go  with  her  husband 
to  her  own  home. 

It  was  so  obviously  the  right  thing  to  do  that  Martha 
consented.  While  the  details  of  the  wedding  were 
being  arranged,  Elihu  joined  the  group.  All  hastened 
to  make  him  welcome.         (Continued  on  page  942) 


EVE  OF  CHRISTMAS 

by  Maude  Rubin 

A  resiny  freshness  fills  the  house  tonight 

Reminding  me  of  mountain  ridges  where 

These  branches  wore  a  snowstorm,  soft  and  white; 

The  smell  of  forest  dusk,  of  frosty  air, 

Where  chipmunks  shuttled  through  the  early  dark 

Striping  their  orange-brown  ribbon  on  the  green; 
Where  chickadees  outsang  the  meadowlark.  .  .  . 
How  different  is  this  tinseled  indoor  scene— 
And  yet,  its  glittering  miracle  of  light 
Fills  young  eyes  with  wonder  on  this  night! 


930 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


A  young  sergeant  in  France  pleads 

iidon"t  let  our  servicemen  down" 
in  a  letter  addressed 


Dear  Brother  McConkie 


During  the  past  year  I  was  given  the  assignment 
by  my  group  leader  of  reaching  a  young  LDS  service- 
man whose  mother  was  worried  about  his  activities. 
I  met  and  talked  with  this  young  man  on  several 
occasions  but  was  unable  to  interest  him  in  attending 
our  group  meetings  or  even  to  persuade  him  to  talk 
about  his  reasons  for  this  lack  of  interest. 

Some  weeks  later  I  had  the  occasion  to  visit  the 
French  town  not  far  from  our  base,  and  while  there 
I  happened  across  this  same  fellow,  who  was  well 
along  his  way  to  becoming  drunk.  He  subsequently 
was  very  desirous  of  telling  me  of  his  falling  away 
from  the  Church. 

To  a  serviceman  such  as  I  it  was  the  same  old 
story  of  being  taken  from  the  family  hearthside  and 
being  placed  in  a  barracks  with  fifty  or  sixty  other 
men  of  approximately  the  same  age  but  most  of  whom 
have  completely  different  backgrounds.  When  you 
kneel  to  pray  they  are  there  to  ridicule  and  laugh  at 
you.  When  the  instructor  or  NCO  in  charge  calls 
time  for  a  smoke  break  you  are  standing  there  by 
yourself  wondering  what  you  should  do,  and  your 
so-called  buddies  start  making  fun  of  you.  On  the 
week  ends  when  all  your  friends  go  to  town  leaving 
you  alone,  you  start  wondering  in  your  own  mind  if 
all  this  is  really  worth  it. 

During  this  period  you  have  only  two  things  to 
look  forward  to:  your  Church  meetings  and  friends, 
whom  you  usually  only  spend  one  or  two  hours  a 
week  with,  and  those  precious  letters  from  back  home. 
Very  often  when  you  need  that  letter  or  Church  Sec- 
tion or  The  Improvement  Era,  it  just  is  not  there. 

So,  slowly  the  weeks  go  by  and  the  months  pass. 
As  the  pressure  from  the  barracks  buddies  mounts 
and  the  letters  from  home  become  fewer,  you  find 
yourself    slipping.      Perhaps    you    start    saying    your 


prayers  in  bed  after  lights  are  out,  or  not  saying  them 
at  all.  When  the  tactical  instructor  calls  for  a  smoke 
break,  you  find  yourself  reaching  for  a  cigaret.  When 
your  buddies  chide  you  for  not  going  to  town  with 
them  on  week  ends,  the  emphatic  "no"  becomes  a  little 
weaker  until  it  becomes  "yes."  The  cycle  is  then  com- 
plete. The  downhill  road  has  been  started  upon,  and 
it  is  the  hardest  task  in  the  world  to  check  this  descent 
and  start  the  uphill  grade  again. 

In  order  that  you  might  better  understand  why  I  am 
writing  this  letter,  I  will  explain  a  little  about  myself. 
I  was  born  and  reared  in  the  Salt  Lake  area,  spending 
the  first  eleven  years  of  my  childhood  in  Bingham 
Canyon,  and  the  rest  until  my  eighteenth  birthday  in 
Murray.  At  the  age  of  twelve  I  was  reactivated  by  a 
member  of  the  local  bishopric  and  was  baptized  that 
same  year.  Since  my  enlistment  in  September  of  1952 
I  have  served  two  years  in  the  Far  East  and  short 
periods  of  time  at  air  force  bases  in  the  Gulf  States, 
Southern  States,  California,  and  Eastern  States  mis- 
sions. Presently  I  am  assigned  to  a  base  in  the  French 
Mission. 

As  neither  my  father  nor  mother  belong  to  the 
Church  I  soon  became  a  forgotten  figure  in  my  home 
ward  and  was  in  the  "no  letter  today"  class.  Event- 
ually I,  too,  started  that  downhill  slide  away  from 
the  Church.  I  would  probably  still  be  sliding  if  it 
weren't  for  a  very  wonderful  Saint  who  gave  me  a 
push  in  the  right  direction  when  I  needed  it  most. 

So  I  come  to  the  real  reason  for  my  writing  to  you. 
I  feel  that  the  bishops,  priesthood  quorums,  and  serv- 
iceman's co-ordinators  all  too  often  are  letting  our 
servicemen  down,  when  just  a  letter  would  frequently 
serve  as  that  "helping  Saint"  to  keep  some  fellow  from 

y'  Your  brother  in  the  gospel, 

A  Serviceman 


DECEMBER   1957 


931 


Melchizedek  Priesthood 


Common  Sense  Wins  Converts 


Suppose  the  stake  presidency  calls  you  and  your 
wife  in  to  their  office.  They  tell  you  there  is  a  very 
important  Church  position  they  want  you  to  fill,  one 
that  will  take  some  real  leadership  and  a  lot  of  good 
hard  work.  They  ask  your  wife  if  she  will  support 
you  in  it  and  help  in  every  way  she  can.     She  agrees. 

Then  they  say  to  you,  "We  feel  impressed  to  call 
you  to  serve  as  the  president  of  the  first  quorum  of 
elders." 

You  feel  a  bit  flattered  that  they  should  want  you; 
after  all,  you  haven't  done  too  much  in  the  Church 
up  to  now;  and  you  know  there  are  a  number  of 
brethren  in  the  quorum  who  you  think  could  do  a 
better  job  than  you  could. 

However,  you  know  the  Church  tradition  of  re- 
sponding to  calls  (and  you  know  your  wife  will  be 
proud  of  you!)  and  so  you  say,  "I'll  do  the  best  I  can." 
But  so  far  you  don't  have  a  real  understanding  of  what 
is  expected  of  you. 

"You  will  need  counselors,"  they  say.  "Suppose 
you  think  it  over  carefully,  pray  about  it,  try  and  get 
the  best  inspiration  you  can,  and  then  let  us  know 
whom  you  want."  You  follow  this  direction,  and  the 
brethren  agree  with  your  choice.  Soon  you  find  your- 
self sustained  by  the  quorum.  Then  you  are  set  apart 
and  given  the  keys  of  presidency. 

Fortunately  you  have  a  good,  energetic  stake  presi- 
dency. They  call  you  in  to  meet  with  them  and  the 
members  of  the  stake  Melchizedek  Priesthood  com- 
mittee at  7  a.m.  on  Sundays  for  several  weeks.  To- 
gether you  go  over  the  basic  directions  in  the 
Melchizedek  Priesthood  Handbook,  analyze  the  con- 
ditions of  the  quorum,  and  map  out  some  general 
objectives.  Also  you  get  some  good  help  out  of  the 
departments  in  the  regular  stake  priesthood  leader- 
ship meetings. 

It  is  beginning  to  dawn  on  you  that  you  have  a  big 
job,  a  lot  bigger  than  you  ever  dreamed  that  morning 


when  you  promised  to  do  your  best.  And  although 
you  have  had  some  mighty  good  counsel  and  advice, 
you  realize  that  you  must  step  out  now  and  really 
go  to  work. 

You  are  not  too  concerned  about  the  quorum  meet- 
ings; your  class  instructor  is  able.  You  know  you  can 
have  some  socials,  which  those  who  are  already  active 
will  enjoy;  and  your  quorum  projects  somehow  get 
done  with  a  little  push  and  effort. 

But  there  is  one  big  problem  that  worries  you.  You 
have  been  told  over  and  over  again  that  you  must 
reactivate  those  in  your  quorum  who  are  not  doing 
anything  in  particular  in  the  Church.  Some  of  them 
smoke;  many  of  them  fail  with  their  tithing;  some  are 
just  too  busy  (they  think)  and  have  no  interest  in 
the  Church.  You  know  they  need  to  be  converted, 
but  you  wonder  how  you  can  reach  them,  since  no 
one  else  seems  to  have  done  so  in  the  past. 

Then  you  remember  what  you  were  told  at  the  last 
priesthood  leadership  meeting:  "Priesthood  reactiva- 
tion is  just  a  matter  of  good  common  sense,  of  good 
hard  work,  and  of  a  reasonable  amount  of  organiza- 
tional ability.  Remember,  you  have  the  keys  of 
presidency.    Use  them.    Go  out  and  do  the  job." 

Well,  why  not?  What  is  there  to  do?  And  how 
shall  it  be  done?  After  all,  you  do  hold  the  keys  of 
presidency,  and  those  keys  are  the  right  to  preside, 
to  govern  and  control  the  manner  in  which  others 
will  use  their  priesthood!  Perhaps  the  secret  is  to 
use  a  little  initiative  and  apply  the  general  principles 
to  the  particular  problems  confronting  the  first  quo- 
rum of  elders! 

You  turn  to  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants  and  read: 
"For  behold,  it  is  not  meet  that  I  should  command  in 
all  things;  for  he  that  is  compelled  in  all  things,  the 
same  is  a  slothful  and  not  a  wise  servant;  wherefore 
he  receiveth  no  reward. 

"Verily  I  say,  men  should  be  anxiously  engaged  in 


932 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


"iiisBiiisssSssi-sil: 


Ml 


'    » 


■::|.::V:;;"'?;.v:v:v;V:v:v:;:'v::':  ':':.|:' 


tf  good  cause,  and  do  many  things  of  their  own  free 
will,  and  bring  to  pass  much  righteousness; 

"For  the  power  is  in  them,  wherein  they  are  agents 
unto  themselves.  And  inasmuch  as  men  do  good  they 
shall  in  nowise  lose  their  reward. 

"But  he  that  doeth  not  anything  until  he  is  com- 
manded, and  receiveth  a  commandment  with  doubtful 
heart,  and  keepeth  it  with  slothfulness,  the  same  is 
damned."  (D  &  C  58:26-29.) 

So,  you  decide  to  use  the  principles  you  have  learned 
and  apply  the  facts  you  have  gathered  to  your  par- 
ticular situation  and  see  how  many  of  your  inactive 
brethren  you  can  reactivate.  Your  three  standing 
committees  are  organized.  The  white  cards  are  all 
completed.  Now  the  committees  must  be  used;  the 
data  must  serve  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  col- 
lected. 

You  sit  down  and  make  yourself  a  work  sheet.  After 
a  little  thought  the  following  is  born: 

Work    Sheet    for    Quorum    Presidency 

(Use  for  reactivation  of  one  man  only) 

1.    Name    of    man    to    be    reached:    . 


2.  What  the  Fact  Finding  and  Reporting  Committee  will  do: 
Field  of  action  decided Date  completed 

3.  What  the   Church   Service  Committee   will   do: 

Field    of    action    decided Date    completed 

4.  What   the   Personal   Welfare    Committee   will    do: 

Field  of  action  decided Date  completed 

Results:    


The  essentials  of  this  information  should  be  transferred  to  the  back 
of  the  white  card. 

You  are  gratified  with  the  realization  that  you  have  done  some- 
thing on  your  own  and  that  the  general  Church  priesthood  committee 
didn't  have  to  figure  out  the  details  of  your  work;  nor  did  the  local 
stake    officers. 

Then  you  get  to  thinking  about  a  possible  work  sheet  that  your 
standing  committee  could  use  to  aid  them  in  keeping  the  reactivation 
work  rolling.  A  little  thought  and  experimentation  brings  forth 
something    along    the    following    line: 

Work   Sheet   for   the    Standing    Committee 
—Cross  out  two — 
(1.   Personal     Welfare) 
(2.  Church    Service) 
(3,  Fact    Finding    and    Reporting) 


1.   Write  here  the  names   of  quorum   members  you  want  to  reach. 


2.  Write    here    which    field    of   action    you    intend    to    use.    (Handbook 
pp.   33-37.) 


3.   Detail    the    project   which    you   expect    to    use   in    reaching   the    men 
named    in    No.    1. 


4.   Task    committees    appointed   to   do    the    job: 

A.  What    to    do:   B.   What  to  do: 


Who    to   do    it: 


Who    to   do    it: 


Dates   Checked 


Dates   Checked 


C.   What  to  do: 


D.   What  to  do: 


Who   to   do    it: 


Who   to  do   it: 


Dates   Checked 


Dates   Checked 


5.   Will  any  of  those   listed    in   No.  1    work  on   the  committees?     Name 
them    here: 


6.  Date    when    project    starts: 

7.  Date  for   its   completion:   


8.   Names  of  men  listed  in  No.  1  who  responded: 


9.    Names  of  those  in   No.    1    who  did   not   respond: 


10.   Date  Nos.  8  and  9  were  entered  on  white  card: 


You  soon  discover  that  use  of  these  forms  pays  off.  They  enable 
you  and  your  committees  to  follow  through  on  reactivation  cases; 
they  keep  bringing  your  attention  back  to  the  basic  principles  which 
must  be  followed  if  inactive  brethren  regain  the  full  fellowship  and 
blessings   of   the   priesthood. 

Initiative   has  paid  off! 

Maybe  priesthood  reactivation  is  just  a  matter  of  common  sense, 
hard  work,   and   ordinary   organizational   ability,  after   all! 


DECEMBER   1957 


933 


The  Presiding 


■.■■■■■....  ■         .,,  :.,,■,,..,,,,,,,. 


Bishopric  9s 

.::■:::: ,:■  :■:■::■:■-,. :■.- ■  ■  :-, :.  ■-:-;;: :: ■:  ■:  ,;■:■:  :■:  ,.,,■:  .:■: ■■;;  ■  w:o:-  s,™™:**: 

Page 


CULTIVATE  APPETITE 
FOR  THINGS  SPIRITUAL 


Inherent  in  man  are  three  hungers:  the  physical, 
the  intellectual,  and  the  spiritual.  The  satisfying  of 
these  hungers  is  vital  to  his  progress  and  happiness. 
Physical  hunger  exerts  the  most  powerful  influence 
of  the  three.  It  is  marked  by  a  strong  craving  for 
food.  Intellectual  hunger  consists  of  mental  longing 
for  an  increased  knowledge  and  new  experiences. 
Spiritual  hunger  is  less  vivid  than  the  other  two,  but 
it  is  the  most  vital  because  it  provides  food  for  the 
soul.  It  is  the  yearning  of  the  heart  for  closer  com- 
munion with  things  heavenly.  It  is  elevation  of  the 
mind  to  contemplate  things  which  are  pure  and  holy 
and  to  sense  one's  relationship  to  his  maker. 

Physical  hunger  is  demanding.  It  is  accompanied 
by  keenness  of  pain  until  food  is  supplied.  If  nourish- 
ment is  withheld  long  enough,  death  of  the  physical 
body  ensues.  Intellectual  hunger  is  satisfied  in  seeing, 
hearing,  feeling,  reading,  studying,  and  in  gaining 
new  experiences.  If  these  opportunities  are  limited, 
we  do  not  die,  but  we  fail  to  progress  rapidly  in  the 
acquisition  of  knowledge.  Unlike  bodily  appetite, 
spiritual  hunger  does  not  have  the  power  to  cry  out 
distressingly,  but  if  suppressed  too  long  it  becomes 
silent  and  we  are  no  longer  conscious  of  the  need  and 
value  of  food  for  the  inner  man.  Spiritual  hunger  is 
an  appetite  that  has  to  be  developed.  It  must  be 
sustained  regularly;  otherwise,  we  suffer  the  loss  of 
thirst  for  things  spiritual.  Loss  of  desire  for  this 
essential  food  ends  in  spiritual  death. 

One  of  the  most  abundant  supplies  of  spiritual  food 
is  that  which  is  made  available  to  us  at  Sacrament 
meeting.  Each  blessing  pronounced  upon  the  sacred 
emblems  concludes  with  the  promise  that  if  we  always 
remember  the  Savior  and  keep  the  commandments 
which  he  has  given  us,  we  will  always  have  his  spirit 
to  be  with  us.     What  more  could  we  ask? 

There  should  be  no  discrimination  in  satisfying 
these  three  hungers.     Nourishment  for  the  physical 


body  keeps  it  alive;  knowledge  and  experience  satisfy 
the  longing  of  the  intellect;  and  adequate  spiritual 
food  sustains  the  spirit  of  man  and  keeps  it  from 
withering.  We  fall  short  of  our  potential  blessings 
if  all  three  of  these  hungers  are  not  provided  for. 

HIGH  MORALE  IS  FACTOR 

IN  WARD  TEACHING  PROGRAM 

Everyone  benefits  when  he  is  a  member  of  an  or- 
ganization where  personal  relationships  are  ideal. 
Proper  morale  promotes  harmonious  conditions.  It 
eliminates  friction  and  annoying  differences.  It  is  a 
necessity  where  success  depends  on  group  effort. 
There  is  unity  of  purpose  when  all  members  of  an 
organization  work  together  as  one  happy  family.  Satis- 
factory progress  is  seldom  made  without  this  type  of 
teamwork. 

Building  morale  should  be  an  objective  of  all  leaders 
in  ward  teaching.  It  motivates  good  relationships 
between  members  of  the  stake  committee  on  ward 
teaching  and  members  of  ward  committees.  It  insures 
co-operation  from  those  who  serve  as  ward  teachers  as 
well  as  those  who  supervise  the  program.  It  moti- 
vates voluntary  response.  It  is  a  two-way  street  where 
everyone  works  together  to  reach  the  same  goal. 

The  advantage  of  being  a  member  of  a  ward  teach- 
ing organization  with  high  morale  is  more  than  just 
emotional  pleasure.  High  morale  stimulates  planning 
and  thinking  on  ways  and  means  of  improving  the 
program.  Where  morale  is  high,  members  of  the 
group  are  not  self-satisfied.  In  this  atmosphere  leaders 
and  ward  teachers   alike  are   inspired   to   do   better. 

Leaders  in  ward  teaching  should  make  a  conscien- 
tious effort  always  to  keep  morale  at  a  high  level.  It 
is  one  of  the  important  elements  of  efficiency.  It  stimu- 
lates the  growth  of  initiative  and  enterprise.  It  gives 
us  new  energy  and  increases  our  self-confidence.  It 
insures  greater  loyalty  because  it  makes  each  member 
feel  he  is  a  member  of  the  team  and  that  he  is  needed 
by  the  group. 


934 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


AARONIC  PRIESTHOOD  MEMORIAL 
UNCOVERED  ON  TEMPLE  SQUARE 

The  Aaronic  Priesthood  memorial  which  was  to 
have  been  dedicated  October  4,  1957,  was  uncovered 
by  the  Presiding  Bishopric  October  25,  1957.  The 
monument  stands  to  the  north  and  east  of  the  Taber- 
nacle on  Temple  Square  in  Salt  Lake  City  and  faces 
the  temple  to  the  east. 

The  dedicatory  services  were  indefinitely  post- 
poned by  decision  of  the  First  Presidency  because  of 
the  influenza  epidemic.  A  new  date  for  the  dedica- 
tion will  be  announced  when  plans  have  been  com- 
pleted. 

The  Presiding  Bishopric  felt  that  the  memorial 
should  no  longer  be  veiled  and  that  those  visiting 
Temple  Square  should  enjoy  the  privilege  of  viewing 
the  monument  commemorating  the  restoration  of  the 
Aaronic  Priesthood  by  John  the  Baptist,  May  15,  1829, 
when  he  conferred  the  Priesthood  of  Aaron  upon 
Joseph  Smith  and  Oliver  Cowdery. 

The  Presiding  Bishopric  again  express  their  appre- 
ciation to  the  more  than  60,000  bearers  of  the  Aaronic 
Priesthood  whose  voluntary  contributions  made  pos- 
sible the  completion  of  the  memorial  without  any  ap- 
propriation from  the  general  funds  of  the  Church. 

Plans  are  now  going  forward  to  erect  a  suitable 
marker  near  the  place  where,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Susquehanna  River  in  Pennsylvania,  the  Aaronic 
Priesthood  was  restored  more  than  one  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  years  ago. 


The  Presiding  Bishopric  uncover  the  Aaronic  Priesthood  me- 
morial on  Temple  Square  in  Salt  Lake  City.  Left  to  right 
are  Bishop  Carl  W.  Buehner  uncovering  the  monument;  Pre- 
siding Bishop  Joseph  L.  Wirthlin;  Bishop  Thorpe  B.  Isaacson. 
Avard  Fairbanks,  sculptor,  is  at  right  rear. 


STUDY  GUIDE  FOR  WARD  TEACHERS 
JANUARY  1958 
Respect  for  Authority 

One  of  the  most  fundamental  principles  of  success- 
ful government,  whether  it  be  Church  or  civil,  is 
respect  for  authority.  It  is  necessary  in  any  body  in 
which  people  hope  to  live  in  peace  and  harmony.  In 
civil  government  constituted  authority  is  empowered 
to  enforce  respect  for  its  officers  and  its  laws.  This 
policy  is  necessary  for  the  good  of  society.  Without 
it  chaos  would  reign.  Latter-day  Saints  are  taught  to 
respect  civil  authorities.  The  twelfth  article  of  faith 
commits  us  definitely  to  such  an  attitude:  "We  believe 
in  being  subject  to  kings,  presidents,  rulers,  and  magis- 
trates, in  obeying,  honoring  and  sustaining  the  law." 

To  Latter-day  Saints  respect  for  authority  in  Church 
government  is  no  less  important.  Members  of  the 
Church  recognize  the  authority  of  the  Church  as  God's 
authority.  The  fact  that  it  has  been  delegated  to  man 
in  no  way  lessens  the  respect  that  is  due  those  who 
hold  it.  Respect  for  those  in  positions  of  authority 
in  the  Church  is  not  enforced;  it  is  a  voluntary  matter. 
It  is  established  and  maintained  through  the  spirit  of 
obedience,  education,  understanding,  and  respect  for 
the  Lord's  anointed.  Veneration  for  authorities  of  the 
Church  as  vested  in  its  general,  stake,  and  ward 
leaders  is  one  of  the  greatest  factors  in  the  Church's 
development,  growth,  and  progress.  If  it  were  not 
forthcoming,  disorder,  lack  of  unity,  and  disintegration 
would  result. 

Respect  for  general  and  local  officers  of  the  Church 
is  an  indication  of  loyalty,  of  faith,  and  of  devotion, 
and  is  a  necessary  attribute  of  conduct  which  is  be- 
coming of  good  members. 

Children  should  be  taught  in  the  home  and  ki 
Church  organizations  to  respect  those  who  are  called 
to  positions  of  leadership  in  the  Church.  If  parents 
set  the  proper  example,  children  will  follow  the  pat- 
tern with  little  or  no  deviation. 


INTRODUCTION  OF  STUDY  GUIDE 
FOR  FEBRUARY  1958 

Search  the  Scriptures 

Man  cannot  be  saved  in  ignorance.  It  is  important 
that  we  acquire  knowledge  of  God's  plans  and  pur- 
poses. The  Savior  during  his  ministry  said,  "Search 
the  scriptures;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal 
life:  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me."  (John 
5:39.)  All  Latter-day  Saints  should  become  familiar 
with  the  truths  and  doctrines  contained  in  the  Bible, 
Book  of  Mormon,  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  and  Pearl 
of  Great  Price. 


DECEMBER   1957 


935 


Jesus  Returns  to  Jerusalem 

{Continued)  mouth  will  I  judge 
thee,  thou  wicked  servant,"  his  mas- 
ter said.  "Thou  knewest  that  I  was 
an  austere  man,  taking  up  that  I  laid 
not  down,  and  reaping  that  I  did  not 
sow:  Wherefore  then  gavest  not  thou 
my  money  into  the  bank,  that  at  my 
coming  I  might  have  required  mine 
own  with  usury?" 

"And  he  said  unto  them  that  stood 
by,  Take  from  him  the  pound,  and 
give  it  to  him  that  hath  ten  pounds. 

"For  I  .say  unto  you,  That  unto 
every  one  which  hath  shall  be  given; 
and  from  him  that  hath  not,  even 
that  he  hath  shall  be  taken  away 
from  him." 

It  is  doubtful  that  the  people  un- 
derstood the  meaning  of  the  story, 
but  they  could  not  have  been  un- 
acquainted with  the  circumstances 
on  which  it  was  based.  They  all 
knew  that  some  years  earlier  Arche- 
laus  went  to  Rome  to  be  made  ruler 
over  Judea,  and  the  Jews  sent  a 
delegation  of  fifty  men  to  try  to  per- 
suade Caesar  Augustus  not  to  make 
him  king.  Archelaus'  magnificent 
palace  was  in  Jericho,  perhaps  with- 
in the  sight  of  the  multitude. 

Through  this  story  the  Lord  tried 
to  make  his  hearers  understand  that 
they  were  not  to  look  for  an  imme- 
diate establishment  of  the  kingdom 
as  they  viewed  it,  but  that  he,  the 
nobleman  who  someday  would  be 
the  king,  would  have  to  go  away  for 
a  time,  leaving  the  responsibilities 
of  the  kingdom  in  the  hands  of 
trusted  servants.  And  when  he  re- 
turns, the  unbelievers  as  well  as  his 
servants  who  have  been  unfaithful, 
will  be  justly  punished.  After  the 
Lord  had  finished  speaking  he  con- 
tinued his  way  up  the  rocky  trail  on 
his  way  to  Jerusalem. 

Many  faithful  Jews  had  assembled 
themselves  at  the  Holy  City  a  week 
or  more  before  the  Passover  to  per- 
form certain  rites  of  purification  to 
make  themselves  worthy  to  partici- 
pate in  the  scheduled  events  of  the 
holy  week.  The  main  topic  of  con- 
versation among  the  people  was 
Jesus.  Would  he  dare  appear  in 
public  at  the  feast?  If  he  did,  would 
the  Jewish  leaders  carry  out  their 
threats  to  arrest  him? 

Meanwhile,  others  also  were  won- 
dering about  Jesus.  Halfway  around 
the  world  the  people  in  the  Western 
Hemisphere  were  awaiting  the  signs 
of  the  Lord's  death  which  Samuel 
the  Lamanite  had  predicted  would 


announce  the  death  of  the  Lord- 
three  days  of  darkness,  earthquakes, 
tempests,  thunder,  and  lightning. 
Their  reckoning  showed  that  the 
thirty-three  years  had  passed,  "and 
there  began  to  be  great  doubtings 
and  disputations  among  the  people, 
notwithstanding  so  many  signs  had 
been  given." 

Six  days  before  the  Passover,  Jesus 
arrived  at  Bethany  where  lived  his 
friends  Mary,  Martha,  and  Lazarus, 
whom  he  had  raised  from  the  dead. 
By  this  time  word  was  abroad  that 
Jesus  was  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem, 
and  many  people  had  come  to 
Bethany,  not  only  to  see  him  but 
also  to  see  Lazarus  who  had  lain 
in  the  tomb  for  three  days  before 
he  had  been  brought  back  to   life. 

In  Lazarus  there  was  living  evi- 
dence of  the  power  of  the  Savior, 
but  rather  than  considering  this  as 
unmistakable  evidence  of  his  divin- 
ity, the  chief  priests  plotted  to  kill 
Lazarus,  since  many  believed  in 
Jesus  because  of  him. 

The  events  of  the  last  week  Jesus 
spent  as  a  mortal  upon  the  earth 
are  so  numerous  and  important  that 
volumes  have  been  written  about 
them.  This  period  of  time  has  be- 
come known  as  "the  week  of  the 
atoning  sacrifice."  The  first  day  of 
the  week  was  Sunday.  The  prob- 
able date  was  April  2,  A.D.  30. 

This  was  the  day  chosen  by  the 
Lord  to  make  his  entry  into  Jeru- 
salem. He  must  have  left  Bethany 
very  early  on  this  Sunday  morning 
and,  accompanied  by  his  disciples 
and  other  followers,  made  his  way 
to  the  Mount  of  Olives,  just  outside 
the  Holy  City.  Calling  two  of  his 
disciples  to  him  he  instructed  them 
to  go  into  a  nearby  village  where 
they  would  find  a  young  donkey 
upon  which  man  had  never  ridden 
before.  This  young  animal  they 
were  to  bring  back  with  them.  If 
anyone  asked  them  what  they  were 
doing,  they  were  merely  to  say  that 
the  Lord  had  need  of  the  animal, 
and  they  would  not  be  detained. 

On  this  animal,  a  lowly  donkey, 
the  Son  of  God,  the  Creator  and 
Savior  of  the  world,  was  to  make 
his  "triumphal  entry"  into  the  great 
city  of  Jerusalem,  soon  to  face  in- 
sult, arrest,  persecution,  trial,  and 
death  by  crucifixion. 

And  so  the  Lord's  disciples  placed 
robes  on  the  animal,  and  when  Jesus 
had     mounted,     they     started     the 


descent  from  the  Mount  of  Olives 
into  the  city.  Great  crowds  had 
gathered  along  the  way.  They  were 
joyful  and  jubilant  at  the  sight  of 
their  king.  So  delighted  and  elated 
were  they  that  they  spread  their 
garments  along  the  road  for  the  ani- 
mal to  walk  on.  Some  cut  branches 
from  the  trees  and  strewed  them 
along  the  way.  And  as  they  entered 
the  city,  repeatedly  there  rose  a 
glorious  shout  from  the  people: 
"Hosanna;  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord: 

"Blessed  be  the  kingdom  of  our 
father  David,  that  cometh  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord:  Hosanna  in  the 
highest." 

Amid  all  the  happiness,  the  shout- 
ing, and  the  rejoicing  Jesus  was  sad. 
He  knew  that  the  people  had  mis- 
interpreted the  whole  purpose  of  his 
mission  upon  the  earth.  In  spite 
of  all  he  had  told  them  they  did  not 
believe  he  was  going  to  his  death. 
When  the  disciples  "began  to  .  .  . 
praise  God  with  a  loud  voice  for  the 
mighty  works  that  they  had  seen; 

"Saying,  Blessed  be  the  King  that 
cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord: 
peace  in  heaven,  and  glory  in  the 
highest,"  the  Pharisees  among  the 
multitude  asked  the  Lord  to  rebuke 
them.  Answering,  he  said,  "I  tell 
you  that,  if  these  should  hold  their 
peace,  the  stones  would  immediately 
cry  out."  But  looking  upon  Jeru- 
salem he  wept,  and  lamented: 

"If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou, 
at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things 
which  belong  unto  thy  peace!  but 
now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes. 

"For  the  days  shall  come  upon 
thee,  that  thine  enemies  shall  cast 
a  trench  about  thee,  and  compass 
thee  round,  and  keep  thee  in  on 
every  side. 

"And  they  shall  lay  thee  even 
with  the  ground,  and  thy  children 
within  thee;  and  they  shall  not  leave 
in  thee  one  stone  upon  another;  be- 
cause thou  knewest  not  the  time  of 
thy  visitation." 

With  his  disciples,  Jesus  went 
through  the  streets  of  the  city  and 
entered  the  temple.  We  have  no 
record  of  his  doing  any  teaching  this 
day,  but  he  did  spend  the  entire 
day  in  the  city  and  his  Father's 
House.  When  evening  came,  he  re- 
turned to  Bethany  with  the  twelve. 

Monday  morning  came  and  Jesus 
started  again  for  Jerusalem.  As  he 
neared  the  city  he  became  hungry. 
Seeing  a  fig  tree  along  the  way  he 


936 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


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DECEMBER  1957 


937 


hoped  to  get  fruit  from  it,  but  was 
disappointed  to  find  it  barren.  Look- 
ing at  the  tree  he  said,  "No  man  eat 
fruit  of  thee  hereafter  for  ever." 

Later  when  they  passed  the  tree 
the  disciples  noticed  that  it  had 
withered.  Calling  attention  to  this 
fact  Peter  said  to  Jesus,  "Master,  be- 
hold, the  tree  which  thou  cursedst 
is  withered  away."  Answering,  Jesus 
said,  "Have  faith  in  God."  He  then 
made  the  incident  the  subject  for  a 
discourse  on  faith,  saying  that  any- 
one who  had  enough  faith  could  say 
unto  a  mountain,  "Be  thou  removed, 
and  be  thou  cast  into  the  sea,"  and 
if  his  faith  was  strong  enough,  the 
mountain  would,  indeed,  be  moved. 

"Therefore,"  he  added,  "I  say  unto 
you,  What  things  soever  ye  desire, 
when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive 
them,  and  ye  shall  have  them." 

What  a  lesson  to  leave  with  his 
disciples!  They  were  soon  to  face, 
in  his  death,  a  test  which  they  must 
have    great   strength   to    withstand. 


The  cursing  of  the  tree  was  another 
evidence  to  them  of  the  great  power 
that  Jesus  possessed.  He  had  healed 
all  manner  of  sick;  he  had  stilled  the 
winds  and  calmed  the  waves;  he 
had  multiplied  food  and  turned 
water  into  wine;  he  had  brought 
the  dead  back  to  life.  This  latest 
incident  demonstrated  that  he  had 
also  power  to  destroy,  but  this  power 
he  used  on  a  barren  and  worthless 
tree. 

Entering  into  Jerusalem  Jesus 
went  to  the  temple  and  seemingly 
spent  the  day  there.  Repeating  his 
performance  of  three  years  earlier, 
he  "overthrew  the  tables  of  the 
moneychangers,  and  the  seats  of 
them  that  sold  doves, 

"And  said  unto  them,  It  is  written, 
My  house  shall  be  called  the  house 
of  prayer;  but  ye  have  made  it  a 
den  of  thieves." 

Following  this  he  healed  the  blind 
and  the  lame  who  were  brought  to 


him.  Naturally,  the  chief  priests  and 
the  Scribes  who  were  watching  his 
every  move  were  angry  when  they 
saw  him  performing  miracles  in  the 
temple  and  when  the  people  called 
out  to  him,  "Hosanna  to  the  son  of 
David,"  they  said,  "Hearest  thou 
what  these  say?" 

"Yea,"  Jesus  answered  them,  "have 
ye  never  read,  Out  of  the  mouths  of 
babes  and  sucklings  thou  hast  per- 
fected praise?" 

And  so  the  second  day  of  the  week 
passed.  In  his  Father's  House  he 
spent  his  time  with  the  people  teach- 
ing and  healing.  How  the  priests, 
Scribes  and  the  Pharisees  wanted 
to  destroy  him!  But  that  time  still 
had  not  come,  and  would  not  come 
until  he  voluntarily  surrendered  to 
them. 

As  night  approached  he  again  left 
the  city  to  spend  the  dark  hours  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  Mount  of  Olives. 

(To  be  continued) 


Respect  for  Authority 

(Continued)         can  enter  into. 

".  .  .  if  a  man  be  a  teacher,  and  I 
vote  that  I  will  sustain  him  in  his 
position,  when  he  visits  me  in  an 
official  capacity,  I  will  welcome  him 
and  treat  him  with  consideration, 
kindness,  and  respect.  If  I  need 
counsel,  I  will  ask  it  at  his  hand, 
and  I  will  do  everything  I  can  to 
sustain  him.  That  would  be  proper 
and  a  principle  of  righteousness.  .  .  . 
I  would  not  say  anything  derogatory 
to  his  character."  (John  Taylor,  The 
Gospel  Kingdom,  pp.  174-175.) 

The  rebellious  among  the  Lord's 
people  are  to  be  pierced  with  much 
sorrow  for  the  Lord  has   declared: 

"And  the  day  cometh  that  they 
who  will  not  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Lord,  neither  the  voice  of  his  serv- 
ants, neither  give  heed  to  the  words 
of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  shall 
be  cut  off  from,  among  the  people; 

"For  they  have  strayed  from  mine 
ordinances,  and  have  broken  mine 
everlasting  covenant; 

"They  seek  not  the  Lord  to  estab- 
lish his  righteousness,  but  every  man 
wa]keth  in  his  own  way,  and  after 
the  image  of  his  own  God,  whose 
image  is  in  the  likeness  of  the  world, 
and  whose  substance  is  that  of  an 
idol,    which    waxeth    old    and    shall 


perish  in  Babylon,  even  Babylon  the 
great,  which  shall  fall."  (D  &  C  1:14- 
16.) 

Here  is  an  important  warning  we 
should  remember: 

"Cursed  are  all  those  that  shall 
lift  up  the  heel  against  mine 
anointed,  saith  the  Lord,  and  cry 
they  have  sinned  when  they  have 
not  sinned  before  me,  saith  the  Lord, 
but  have  done  that  which  was  meet 
in  mine  eyes,  and  which  I  com- 
manded them. 

"But  those  who  cry  transgression 
do  it  because  they  are  the  servants 
of  sin,  and  are  the  children  of  dis- 
obedience themselves. 

"And  those  who  swear  falsely 
against  my  servants,  that  they  might 
bring  them  into  bondage  and  death— 

"Wo  unto  them;  because  they 
have  offended  my  little  ones  they 
shall  be  severed  from  the  ordinances 
of  mine  house. 

"Their  basket  shall  not  be  full, 
their  houses  arid  their  barns  shall 
perish,  and  they  themselves  shall  be 
despised  by  those  that  flattered 
them. 

"They  shall  not  have  right  to  the 
priesthood,  nor  their  posterity  after 
them  from  generation  to  generation." 
(Ibid.,  121:16-21.) 

And  then  this  promise  and  further 
admonition  from  the  Lord: 


"And  if  my  people  will  hearken 
unto  my  voice,  and  unto  the  voice 
of  my  servants  whom  I  have  ap- 
pointed to  lead  my  people,  behold 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  they  shall  not 
be  moved  out  of  their  place. 

"But  if  they  will  not  hearken  to 
my  voice,  nor  unto  the  voice  of  these 
men  whom  I  have  appointed,  they 
shall  not  be  blest,  because  they  pol- 
lute mine  holy  grounds,  and  mine 
holy  ordinances,  and  charters,  and 
my  holy  words  which  I  give  unto 
them."  (Ibid.,  124:45-46.) 

God's  house  is  a  house  of  order 
where  faithfulness  is  enjoyed  and 
obedience  required.  God  is  not  the 
author  of  confusion  but  of  peace. 
As  we  respect  our  leaders  and  honor 
them  in  their  callings,  the  Lord  in 
turn  will  honor  us  and  permit  us  to 
grow  in  the  graces  of  the  gospel  and 
in  the  powers  and  functions  of  the 
priesthood  which  will  obtain  for  us 
peace  and  happiness  in  our  hearts 
and  in  our  homes. 

Respect  for  our  leaders  also  builds 
in  each  of  us  increased  faith  and 
strong  character  values.  We  develop 
confidence,  admiration,  and  love  for 
those  chosen  to  lead  and  guide  us. 
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To  he  a  King 

( Continued)  The  old  man  looked 
in  surprise  at  the  glowing  face  of 
Haran.  "What  miracle  has  been 
wrought  in  you?"  he  asked.  "This 
is  not  the  same  man  I  saw  last  in 
the  council  chamber." 

"Thank  heaven  it  is  not.  That 
pitiable  creature  is  dead  and  buried. 
But  for  your  absence  from  Jericho, 
I  should  have  come  to  you,  as  I  went 
to  all  others  who  were  present  on 
that  shameful  occasion,  and  declared 
my  intention  of  following  the 
Master." 

"I  rejoice  in  your  courage,  my  dear 
friend.    But  I  see  that  David  is  con- 


sumed with  curiosity  to  learn  what 
I  have  accomplished." 
"Truly,  I  am  anxious." 
"Then  dismiss  your  fears." 
"You   mean   to   tell  me   that  the 
threatened  danger  to  the  Master  is 
passed?" 

"That  is  too  much  to  say.  I  can- 
not promise  that  your  friend  is  per- 
manently beyond  peril.  This  Jesus 
speaks  what  is  in  his  heart,  a  habit  I 
have  noticed  in  the  records  of  all 
prophets,  and  ofttimes  his  words  are 
so  irritating  to  a  certain  class  that 
continued  safety  can  never  be  guar- 
anteed him;  but  I  have  assurance 
that  temporarily  at  least  he  will  not 
be  molested." 


"I  appreciate  your  kindness." 

"Did  you  ever  see  the  Nazarene?" 
asked  Ruth. 

"Yes,  many  times." 

"What  impression  did  he  make 
upon  you?" 

"I  was  greatly  amused  at  some  of 
his  sayings." 

"Is  he  then  so  witty?" 

"Not  witty,  though  he  could  be 
that  or  anything  else  he  desired,  but 
he  certainly  is  pungent  at  times." 

"Tell  us  about  him,"  demanded 
Ruth,  "without  making  us  draw 
every  word  from  you.  I  am  as  eager 
to  hear  your  opinion  as  the  others 
are." 

(To  be  continued) 


The  Scriptural  Formula 

(Continued)  had  served  his  own 
generation  by  the  will  of  God,  fell  on 
sleep,  and  was  laid  unto  his  fathers, 
and  saw  corruption: 

But  he,  whom  God  raised  again, 
saw  no  corruption.  (Ibid.,  13:32-37.) 

By  revelation,  Philip  interpreted 
Isaiah  to  "a  man  of  Ethiopia,  an 
eunuch  of  great  authority  under 
Candace  queen  of  the  Ethopians." 

And  Philip  ran  thither  to  him,  and 
heard  him  read  the  prophet  Esaias, 
and  said,  Understandest  thou  what 
thou  readest? 

And  he  said,  How  can  I,  except 
some  man  should  guide  me?  And 
he  desired  Philip  that  he  would  come 
up  and  sit  with  him, 

The  place  of  the  scripture  which 
he  read  was  this,  He  was  led  as  a 
sheep  to  the  slaughter;  and  like  a 
lamb  dumb  before  his  shearer,  so 
opened  he  not  his  mouth. 

In  his  humiliation  his  judgment 
was  taken  away:  and  who  shall  de- 
clare his  generation?  for  his  life  is 
taken  from  the  earth. 

And  the  eunuch  answered  Philip, 
and  said,  I  pray  thee,  of  whom 
speaketh  the  prophet  this?  of  him- 
self, or  of  some  other  man? 

Then  Philip  opened  his  mouth, 
and  began  at  the  same  scripture,  and 
preached  unto  him  Jesus.  (Ibid., 
8:30-35.) 

Some  four  hundred  years  had 
elapsed  between  the  Old  and  New 
Testament  prophets.  During  that 
time,  scriptures  once  clear  had  be- 
come ambiguous.  Scholars  had 
taken  the  helm,  and  the  prophets 
had  disappeared. 

If  four  hundred  years  so  obscured 


the  Old  Testament  that  its  readers 
could  not  even  recognize  the  Christ 
of  whom  it  prophesied,  what  will 
1900  years  have  done  to  the  New 
Testament? 

If  prophets  were  necessary  to 
clarify  the  Old  Testament  during 
Christ's  first  advent,  should  they  not 
also  be  necessary  to  clarify  both  the 
Old  and  the  New  Testaments  before 
Christ's  second  advent?  Have  the 
scriptures  since  Christ's  birth  be- 
come less  subject  to  confusion  than 
they  were  before?  The  confusion 
of  Christendom  denies  it. 

Of  course,  it  is  almost  axiomatic 
with  any  generation  that  prophets 
are  creatures  of  the  past.  God  has 
spoken  in  the  past,  but  he  cannot 
speak  today.  The  miracle  of  divine 
intervention  becomes  acceptable 
only  as  it  becomes  remote. 

In  each  generation,  only  the  most 
open-minded  have  unfettered  them- 
selves from  such  prejudice  long 
enough  to  make  a  simple  inquiry: 
Are  there  prophets  today— or  do  any 
men  claim  such  a  calling? 

Since  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints  does  profess  to 
have  prophets,  the  search  for  scrip- 
tural enlightenment  might  logically 
commence  there.  For  a  start,  it 
should  be  sufficient  to  learn  that  one 
Church  applies  the  same  rule  to 
scriptural  understanding  that  Christ's 
Church  did  originally. 

The  seeker  can  commence  with  an 
examination  of  Joseph  Smith,  the 
first  Prophet  of  the  restoration, 
through  whom  the  Church  orig- 
inated. Joseph  Smith  maintained, 
for  example,  that  only  by  an  explana- 
tion from  God,  himself,  could  one 
expect  to  unravel  the  mystery  and 
symbolism  of  the  book  of  Revela- 


tion. 

What,  for  instance,  is  the  meaning 
of  the  sea  of  glass  referred  to  in 
Revelation  4:6?  It  was  revealed  to 
Joseph  Smith  that:  It  is  the  earth, 
in  its  sanctified,  immortal,  and 
eternal  state. 

What  was  the  significance  of  the 
little  book  eaten  by  John,  recorded 
in  Revelation  10?  The  explanation: 
We  are  to  understand  that  it  teas 
a  mission,  and  an  ordinance,  for  him 
to  gather  the  tribes  of  Israel;  be- 
hold, this  is  Elias,  who,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, must  come  and  restore  all 
things. 

Regarding  the  two  witnesses  men- 
tioned in  Revelation  11,  it  was  said: 
They  are  two  prophets  that  are  to 
be  raised  up  to  the  Jewish  nation  in 
the  last  days,  at  the  time  of  the 
restoration,  and  to  prophesy  to  the 
lews  after  they  are  gathered  and 
have  built  the  city  of  Jerusalem  in 
the  land  of  their  fathers.  (D  &  C 
77:1,  14,  15.) 

Significantly,  both  the  approach 
and  the  answers  to  such  mystifying 
scriptural  queries  were  spontaneous 
and  positive— totally  unlike  the 
scholar's  careful  plodding  through 
commentaries  and  ancient  languages. 

Scholars  have  long  debated  the 
meaning  of  Peter's  statement  that 
Christ,  following  his  crucifixion,  ".  .  . 
went  and  preached  unto  the  spirits 
in  prison."  (I  Peter  3:19.)  His 
declaration  in  this  connection:  For 
this  cause  was  the  gospel  preached 
also  to  them  that  are  dead,  that  they 
might  be  judged  according  to  men 
in  the  flesh  but  live  according  to 
God  in  the  spirit,  has  caused  endless 
confusion.   (Ibid.,  4:6.) 

Joseph  claimed  an  answer  from 
God:   Those  having  no  chance  to  ac- 


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cept  Christ's  gospel  during  mortal 
life  will  be  given  a  chance  after  they 
have  died. 

Joseph  F.  Smith,  a  more  recent 
Latter-day  Saint  prophet,  shed 
further  light  on  the  subject,  pro- 
claiming that  Christ  had  not  only 
visited  spirits  in  the  hereafter  but 
also  established  a  missionary  system 
among  them,  similar  to  the  one  he 
had  organized  on  earth. 

Else  what  shall  they  do  which  are 
baptized  for  the  dead,  if  the  dead 
rise  not  at  all?  why  are  they  then 
baptized  for  the  dead?  (I  Cor. 
15 :29. )  This  question  posed  by  Paul 
to  the  Corinthians  must  have  been 


clear  enough  when  it  was  issued, 
yet  ministers  today  discreetly  shy 
away  from  it. 

Again,  Joseph  Smith  claimed  a 
revealed  answer:  Living  proxies  can 
be  baptized  for  those  who  accept 
Christ's   gospel  in  the  spirit  world. 

The  answers  are  logical  and  bear 
tremendous  impact.  They  afford  in- 
sight into  God's  personality,  lend 
vast  scope  to  his  purposes.  Still,  the 
scholars,  ruminating  throughout  the 
centuries,  never  derived  them. 

It  is  with  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  then, 
that  one  may  begin  his  search  for 
scriptural  understanding.     Men  dig 


first  where  the  gold  is  reputed  to  lie. 
The  ore  is  assayed  later. 

Those  who  have  carefully  "as- 
sayed" the  Church  and  validated  its 
claims  can  examine  the  scriptures 
under  the  bright  light  of  revelation. 
For  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old 
time  by  the  will  of  man:  but  holy 
men  of  God  spake  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  (II  Peter 
1:21.) 

Those  who  ignore  this  formula  to 
scriptural  understanding  must  be 
content  to  ever  wander  a  labyrinth 
of  confusion  and  conjecture,  relying 
upon  the  wisdom  of  men  to  make 
plain  the  words  of  God. 


No  Room  at  the  Inn 


(Continued)  was  appalling.  A 
blind  man  in  beggar's  garb  stood  in 
the  doorway. 

"Ah,  kind  sir,"  said  the  beggar,  "I 
have  no  money  for  lodging  since  all 
I  possess  I  must  pay  as  tax.  My 
bones  are  weary;  the  heat  of  the 
day,  the  cold  of  the  night,  and  the 
long  distance  are  great  for  the  poor 
and  the  blind.  Please  give  me  of 
your  alms."  The  beggar  held  out 
both  hands. 

Raham  stood  speechless.  I  am 
a  businessman,  he  thought.  I  can- 
not afford  to  shelter  nonpaying 
guests,  much  less  lower  the  inn's 
standards  with  blind  beggars.  He 
lifted  his  arm  to  shoo  the  beggar 
from  the  door  when  Sarid  stepped 
forward. 

"Let  him  stay,  Raham.  He  needs 
rest  and  food.  There  is  the  small 
room  under  the  stairway  which  I 
have  prepared."  Then  turning  to  the 
beggar  she  said:  "Take  my  arm.  I 
shall  lead  you  to  the  table  where  a 
bowl  of  steaming  broth  and  fresh 
mealcakes  await  you.  Then  there 
are  warm  water  and  towels,  and  a 
bed  with  clean  linen  for  you." 

The  beggar  stood  speechless  and 
allowed  tears  of  gratitude  to  surge 
from  his  sightless  eyes.  He  permitted 
Sarid  to  lead  him  to  the  table  where 
he  devoured  the  hot  soup  hungrily. 

A  second  tap  sounded  on  the  inn's 
old  creaking  door,  and  three  trav- 
elers entered,  each  in  different  stages 
of  palsy.  Raham,  seeing  .their 
floundering,  thought:  Perhaps  it  is 
only  drink  which  these  sad  char- 
acters seek.  I  shall  treat  them  kind- 
ly and  hope  they  will  travel  farther 
while  day  is  still  light. 


"Please,  kind  innkeeper  of  Bethle- 
hem," one  of  the  three  said,  "we  can 
pay  but  a  mite.  My  friends  are  in 
need  of  rest;  their  suffering  is  great. 
We  seek  only  the  barest  of  comfort 
and  the  meagerest  of  refreshments." 

"Our  inn  is  reserved  for  the  guards 
of  Caesar,"  Raham  replied. 

Sarid  came  hurriedly  to  his  elbow 
and  whispered,  "Let  them  stay; 
just  off  the  kitchen  there  is  a  room 
I  have  prepared."  Turning  to  the 
palsied,  she  said,  "Come,  rest  on  the 
lounges,  and  I  shall  bring  you  warm 
food." 

Raham  shuddered  as  he  saw  the 
three  afflicted  travelers  stretched  out 
on  the  lounges  which  Sarid  had  cov- 
ered with  her  most  beautiful  robes. 
He  suddenly  remembered  the  kine 
which  had  that  morning  presented 
him  with  twin  calves  and  went  at 
once  to  the  stable. 

When  Raham  again  entered  the 
inn,  Sarid  was  washing  the  feet  of 
the  palsied  travelers.  Surely  this 
was  righteous  indignation  which 
surged  through  his  veins  at  the  sight 
of  her  there  on  bended  knee  before 
them!     Raham  called  her  to  him. 

"Sarid,  thou  hast  worked  hard  all 
day,  cleaning  and  slaving  to  prepare 
the  inn.  Please,  I  beg  of  thee,  save 
thy  strength.  These  diseased  per- 
sons, little  better  than  beggars,  ex- 
pect no  such  privileges,  merely  board 
and  lodging." 

"You  are  right,  Raham,  and  yet 
these  poor  paralyzed  creatures  need 
care.  Such  gratitude  I  have  never 
seen  expressed  in  faces  of  royalty." 

The  hinges  of  the  old  walnut  door 
creaked  and  blended  their  groaning 
with  that  of  crying  children  as  a 
woman  clothed  in  black  entered  with 
a  baby  in  her  arms  and  five  small 
children  following. 


"There,  there,  child,"  the  mother 
comforted,  patting  the  baby.  Turn- 
ing to  Raham  she  said,  "Please,  Inn- 
keeper, I  seek  lodging  for  my  little 
ones;  they  are  hungry  and  tired.  I 
have  money  to  pay  if  thy  rates  are 
moderate." 

Raham  looked  at  the  mother,  her 
dark  hair  plaited  in  thick  braids 
that  wound  about  her  head.  Her 
eyes  were  tired  and  lifeless,  her 
clothing  bespoke  a  late  sorrow.  I 
shall  feed  them,  Raham  said  to  him- 
self, and  then  perhaps  it  will  be 
easier  to  tell  them  that  the  inn  is 
reserved  and  they  must  go  on  their 
way.  Too  many  crying  children  are 
not  an  asset  to  an  inn. 

"We  have  broth  and  mealcakes 
ready  for  all  of  you."  Raham  smiled 
hospitably. 

Sarid  brought  mealcakes  and  a 
large  bowl  of  broth  for  each  child 
while  Raham  took  the  wooden 
bucket  and  drew  fresh  cool  water 
from  the  well  between  the  inn  and 
the  stable.  He  was  about  to  tell 
the  young  family  the  inn  was  re- 
served when  Sarid  spoke. 

"Raham,  would  you  mind  if  I  gave 
our  chamber  to  this  little  family? 
It  is  large  and  airy,  and  there  is 
room  for  several  mats  on  the  floor 
for  the  children.  It  is  at  the  rear  of 
the  inn  where  the  noise  of  the  late- 
comers will  not  disturb  them." 

"Little  chance  will  I  have  for  sleep 
with  the  legionnaires  rioting,"  said 
Raham.  "But,  Sarid,  I  had  hoped 
there  would  be  rest  for  you  later." 

"These  travelers  need  rest  far  more 
than  I,  Raham."  Turning,  Sarid  took 
the  baby  from  the  tired  mother's 
arms  and  leading  her  and  the  five 
little  ones,  climbed  the  stairs  to  the 
chamber  overlooking  the  stable.  The 
children  responded  to  her  kindness 


944 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Mft.ToPsy-TURVy 

IN  CONOCOIAND' 


VOU  COULD  PARK  RIGHT- SIDE    UP 
IF  VOU  USED  CONOCO  AU_-  SEASON 
SUPER  MOTOR  OIL. 
IT  STAYS  Up  IN  VOUR  ENGINE- 
NEVER   DRAINS  DOWN  i 


Ml,TDPSY.'  I  SEETHE  MISSUS 
MAD  THE  CAR  OUT. 


NOPE ! 
f  ALWAVS   PARK    UPSIDE  DOWN. 
KEEPS  OIL  UP  |N  MV  ENGINE- 
CUTS  FRICTION  WHEN  /  START! 


IT  OIL- PLATES  YOUR  ENGINE 
...CONQUERS  BOTH    PRICTlON 
AND  CORROSION 


CONOCO t  ALL-  SEASON 
SUPERS   WHAT  VOU 
NEED! 


THANKS  TO  CONOCO  ALL-  SEASON  SUPER 
...NO  MORE  UKlDE-DO^N 
HEADACHES  FOR  ME! 


]/ 


MAN.'  l/OURE  SET  AS 
l  CAN 


.,/  I 


^CONOCO  all-season  Super  Motor  Oil 

. . .  Oit-p/afes  if  our  engine' atfifos?  wear/ 


DECEMBER  1957 


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©  1957.  Continental  Oil  Company 

945 


and  talked  freely;  even  the  mother's 
tongue  was  loosened  with  Sarid's 
helpfulness. 

"You  are  no  doubt  wondering  why 
a  mother  and  children  travel  alone. 
My  children's  father  died  a  few  days 
ago  on  the  road.  The  vast  amount 
of  taxation  and  dragging  the  chil- 
dren from  their  homes  bore  heavily 
upon  him  until  he  gave  up  the 
ghost.  Now  I  am  a  lone  woman  in 
a  strange  country."  Tears  which 
had  been  held  back  so  long  flowed 
freely.  Sarid  took  a  clean  square  of 
her  dirndl  and  carefully  wiped  the 
widow's  tears. 

"Tarry  with  us  while  you  are  in 
the  city  of  David,"  Sarid  said.  "As 
long  as  you  are  here,  this  room  is 
for  you  and  your  little  ones.  Now 
get  some  needed  sleep  while  the  inn 
is  yet  quiet.  Already  I  see  thy  little 
ones  have  dropped  off  to  dreaming." 
Sarid  gave  a  comforting  pat  on  the 
widow's  shoulder  and  closed  the 
door  quietly,  going  below  to  tell 
Raham  the  name  of  each  little  child. 

Night  closed  in  over  Bethlehem. 
The  sky  which  had  been  bright  blue 
during  the  day  changed  its  cloak  for 
a  deeper  shade.  The  stars  came  out, 
each  one  taking  its  appointed  place. 
Still  the  travelers  thronged  the  roads 
leading  to  the  city  of  David.  Many 
stopped  at  the  inn  of  Raham  seeking 
shelter  and  food.  To  each  was  given 
warm,  rich  broth  and  fresh  meal- 
cakes  from  Sarid's  hands.  To  each 
Sarid  gave  an  alcove  or  a  hallway 
which  she  had  prepared  with  mats 
for  the  comfort  of  the  weary  travelers 
of  Israel.        , 

Then  as  though  a  cyclone  had 
come  upon  the  inn  the  legionnaires 
of  Caesar  broke  through  the  gates 
and  entered  the  inn.  Each  wore  a 
costly,  bright  uniform  of  the  Roman 
Empire  and  swaggered  about  with 
sword  on  hip  and  medals  on  chest. 
With  the  air  of  invaders  they  set 
themselves  down  at  the  tables,  push- 
ing and  shoving,  shouting  and  quip- 
ping. 

Watching  them,  Sarid  suddenly 
felt  the  fatigue  of  the  day  settle  in 
her  every  muscle.  .  Together  she  and 
Raham  passed  large  bowls  of  broth 
and  mealcakes  to  the  uniformed 
centurions,  but  their  appetites, 
whetted  for  strong  drink,  pushed  the 
humble  food  aside,  spilling  and 
spoiling  it,  while  they  lifted  bottles 
of  wine  and  flasks  of  liquor  to  their 
lips.  The  air  was  suddenly  foul  with 
their  coarse  language. 


"This  is  no  place  for  you,  Sarid. 
Why  did  I  let  you  talk  me  into 
letting  our  chamber  go  to  travelers? 
Now  there  is  no  place  for  you  to  lay 
your  head."  Raham  spoke  softly, 
lest  the  legionnaires  hear. 

"Raham,  I  was  out  feeding  the 
lambs  and  tossing  crumbs  to  the 
pigeons.  The  stable  is  beautiful  and 
so  quiet.  Noise  and  foul  language 
do  not  penetrate.  I  shall  go  there 
to  a  bed  which  I  have  prepared. 
When  the  legionnaires  are  in  bed, 
you  also  can  seek  rest  in  the  stable." 

"Ah,  it  would  be  well  to  be  out 
of  the  loudness  of  it  all,  Sarid.  Look 
at  the  floor  which  you  worked  so 
hard  to  clean;  now  it  is  red  with 
wine  and  refuse  from  the  streets. 
'Tis  a  bad  life,  the  life  of  an  inn- 
keeper's wife." 

A  gentle  yet  firm  knock  sounded 
on  the  massive  door.  "Raham,  some- 
one knocks  at  this  late  hour."  Sarid 
said,  "Yet  your  sign  that  we  are  full 
has  been  out  long." 

The  door  was  pushed  open,  and  a 
young  man  with  soft,  dark  beard 
and  dressed  in  homespun  stood  be- 
fore the  innkeeper  and  his  wife. 
Sarid  had  never  seen  eyes  such  as 
his.  They  were  beautiful,  yes,  and 
loving  and  wise,  and  worried.  But 
Sarid  saw  a  sort  of  holiness  in  those 
dark  brown  eyes,  and  when  the  man 
spoke,  his  voice  carried  a  reverent 
tone. 

"I  saw  thy  sign,  sir,  but  my  wife 
is  ill;  her  time  is  spent;  she  is  in 
need  of  shelter.  We  come  from 
Nazareth.  I  cannot  take  her  one 
step  farther."  The  young  traveler 
looked  from  Raham  to  Sarid.  "She 
is  in  need  of  friendly  hands  to  aid 
her." 

"I  am  deeply  sorry."  Raham  spoke 
with  sincere  regret.  "Already  my 
wife  has  given  her  own  bed  to  trav- 
elers. As  you  can  see  our  inn  is 
filled  with  Roman  guards.  Perhaps 
farther  on.  .  .  ." 

The  Nazarene  did  not  answer. 
He  stood  with  shoulders  slightly 
drooped.  A  look  of  concern  masked 
his  face  as  he  again  glanced  at  his 
wife  waiting  in  the  glow  of  the 
opened  door.  Sarid's  eyes  bypassed 
the  Nazarene  and  rested  on  the 
young  woman  mounted  on  the  don- 
key. Her  face  was  wreathed  in  pain, 
yet  had  a  tenderness  resembling  the 
glow  of  a  lighted  candle.  These 
people,  Sarid  thought,  would  wel- 
come the  barest  of  shelter  and 
warmth. 


"Oh,  traveler  from  far-off  Naza- 
reth, it  is  true  we  have  not  even  a 
closet  to  offer  thee,  but  our  stable 
is  warm.  Why  only  this  day  we 
placed  fresh  straw  on  the  floor,  and 
the  manger  is  wide  and  restful." 
Sarid  took  a  lighted  lantern  from  the 
table  where  the  Roman  soldiers 
still  sat  drinking.  As  the  lamp  was 
moved,  the  raucous  laughter  ceased. 
Sarid's  heart  stopped.  Was  the 
legionnaire  going  to  reprimand  her 
for  this  offense?  Then  as  though  he 
had  been  smitten,  his  head  dropped 
over  in  a  stupor  of  drunkenness. 

"Come,  follow  me."  Sarid,  sure 
of  foot  with  lighted  lantern,  led  the 
way  to  the  rear  of  the  inn.  The 
young  Nazarene  leading  the  donkey 
guided  its  precious  burden  to  the 
entrance  of  the  stable. 

"Be  of  good  cheer."  Sarid  spoke 
softly,  almost  reverently.  "Here  are 
rest  and  comfort  for  you."  She  gave 
them  of  her  courage  and  strength, 
in  this  their  hour  of  need.  Trip 
after  trip  Sarid  made  from  the  inn 
to  the  stable,  bringing  basins  of 
warm  water,  comforters,  and  swad- 
dling clothes. 

Much  later,  weary  with  the  long 
day  and  the  busy  night,  Sarid 
wrapped  the  newly  born  infant  in 
clothing  she  had  hoped  one  day  to 
place  on  a  child  of  her  own.  With 
comforting  hands  she  spooned  warm 
broth  to  the  tired  mother's  lips,  as 
the  words  of  the  Prophet  Isaiah 
coursed  through  her  mind. 

Then  it  was  that  the  mother  ut- 
tered those  selfsame  words:  "Unto 
us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is 
given:  and  his  name  shall  be  called 
the  Prince  of  Peace."  The  mother's 
soft  warm  hand  found  its  way  from 
under  the  warm  comforter  and  rested 
on  Sarid's  shoulder.  "You  knew 
not,  yet  you  took  us  in;  blessed  art 
thou,  Sarid,  thou  beloved  wife  of 
Raham." 

"Beloved  wife,"  Mary  had  said. 
Sarid  felt  warm  tears  coursing  down 
her  cheeks.  She  dropped  on  her 
knees  by  the  manger  bed. 

Then  Sarid  heard  a  small  but 
penetrating  voice,  "This  night,  Sarid, 
even  the  hosts  of  heaven  call  thee 
beloved,  and  from  this  night  for- 
ward, in  Bethlehem,  and  even 
throughout  all  Israel,  yea,  through- 
out all  the  world,  thy  humble  stable 
shall  be  known  in  holy  writ." 

Sarid  looked  up  from  her  place 
on  bended  knee  by  the  manger  bed. 
The  lamp  hanging  from  the  beam 


946 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


became  as  though  blotted  out,  with 
its  need  completed.  A  -wonderful, 
heavenly  light  brightened  every 
corner  of  the  stable.  Sarid  looked 
out  the  window  to  see  the  source 
of  the  brilliance. 

There  was  a  star,  a  star  so  large 
and  beautiful  and  bright  that  its 
points  seemed  almost  to  touch  the 
stable  roof. 

"I  must  tell  Raham  of  this  star 
and  this  Prince  Child  in  our  man- 
ger." Sarid  slipped  quietly  to  the 
door  of  the  stable,  then  stopped 
short,  for  the  sight  before  her  eyes 
was  astonishing.  There  at  the  en- 
trance to  the  stable  was  Raham  on 
bended  knee,  a  love  of  all  fellow 
men  on  his  countenance. 

Beside  Raham,  each  in  the  atti- 
tude of  prayer,  were  the  widow  and 
her  children,  a  light  of  joy  replacing 
the  sorrow  that  had  been  in  their 
eyes. 

Kneeling  in  the  same  circle  of 
worship,  Sarid  saw  three  others. 
Yesterday  their  bodies  were  mangled 
with  the  dread  palsy,  now  they  were 
straight  and  strong.  Thankfulness 
shown  from  these  three  faces. 

Sarid  saw  still  another  in  the  cir- 
cle on  bended  knee— the  man,  once 
only  a  blind  beggar  whom  she  had 
befriended.  His  eyes  were  alight 
with  restored  vision,  and  they  were 
raised  to  the  beauty  of  the  star 
above. 

Sarid  looked  from  one  to  another 
in  the  circle,  then  she  spoke  softly, 
"Others  will  come  here  to  join  the 
circle  of  worshipers.  Humble  shep- 
herds, and  even  the  wise  ones  of  the 
world  will  come  here  to  behold  the 
Prince  of  Peace." 


PROPHECY 

by  Eunice  J.  Miles 
At  times 

We  question  how 
A  human  soul  can  write 
Prophetic  poetry  in  power 
And  truth. 
And  yet 

The  prophet's  pen 
Can  trace  eternal  words 
That  send  a  living  message  down 
The  years. 


DECEMBER   1957 


v. 


inn  big  way 


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947 


"Eye  Hath  Not  Seen" 

(Continued)  the  power  and  gift 
of  Christ;  wherefore  ye  may  know 
with  a  perfect  knowledge  it  is  of 
God.  (Moroni  7:16.) 

That  is  the  first  safeguard  you  may 
have.  If  you  live  true  to  the  spirit, 
you  will  know  with  a  certainty 
whether  a  thing  is  of  God  or  whether 
it  is  of  evil.  There  will  be  a  warn- 
ing and  a  preparation  to  withstand, 
if  you  will  only  give  heed  to  the  en- 
lightenment of  that  spirit  of  intelli- 
gence. 

The  next  blessing  that  came  to  you 
when  you  were  a  babe,  probably 
within  a  month  after  your  birth,  was 
to  be  taken  to  the  fast  meeting  in 
the  ward  where  your  parents  lived, 
and  your  father  or  others  holding  the 
Holy  Priesthood  took  you  in  their 
arms.  They  gave  you  a  blessing,  a 
father's  blessing.  In  that  blessing 
perhaps  there  were  words  something 
like  these  used: 

You  are  blessed  to  receive  strength 
and  vitality  in  body  and  in  mind. 
You  are  blessed  to  have  wise  and 
prudent  guidance  and  a  desire  to  ad- 
vance and  grow  in  the  kingdom. 

As  you  grew  older,  at  the  age  of 
eight  years,  when  you  were  judged 
to  have  come  to  the  age  of  account- 
ability or  at  the  time  of  your  conver- 
sion and  baptism  into  the  Church, 
you  were  given  the  opportunity  of 
being  baptized  of  water,  and  follow- 
ing that,  a  baptism  of  spirit  by  the 
laying  on  of  hands.  By  this  experi- 
ence three  things  happened  to  you: 
First,  you  had  a  reclamation  from 
the  darkness  or  the  first  death  which 
had  been  suffered  by  all  the  children 
of  Adam  and  Eve  since  the  time  of 
the  fall.  By  that  process  you  gained 
entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  the  initiatory  steps  necessary  for 
entrance  into  the  celestial  kingdom, 
on  condition  that  you  would  keep 
yourself  a  fit  temple  in  which  the 
Holy  Ghost  could  dwell.  You  were 
given  also  the  right  to  receive  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  one  of  the 
Godhead,  a  companionship  which 
you  could  enjoy  and  which  would 
give  you  special  gifts  and  special 
endowments  of  power  as  you  lived 
and  cultivated  your  worthiness  to 
receive  its  holy  promptings. 

Perhaps  the  next  thing,  when  you 
grew  a  little  older,  if  you  had  lis- 
tened to  counsel,  and  your  parents 
had  likewise  followed  wise  counsel, 
you  were  taken  to  a  patriarch  in  the 


Church,  and  there  you  were  given  a 
patriarchal  blessing.  Elder  Karl  G. 
Maeser  spoke  of  patriarchal  blessings 
as  "paragraphs  from  the  book  of  your 
possibilities."  If  you  read  that  patri- 
archal blessing  now,  you  will  see 
what  the  spirit  of  prophecy  has  held 
up  to  you  as  what  you  can  become, 
better  tomorrow  than  you  have  been 
today.  Read  it  again  and  again  and 
see  held  out  to  you  glorious  prom- 
ises, if  you  will  only  be  true. 

Maybe  you  have  neglected  some- 
thing you  could  have  had,  which  I 
fear  in  this  day  you  put  aside  as  not 
too  important,  and  that  is  the  bless- 
ing from  your  own  father. 

At  some  of  the  times  when  you 
were  faced  with  some  of  life's  great- 
est challenges,  did  you  ask  your 
father  to  give  you  a  father's  blessing? 
One  of  the  sweetest  experiences  of 
my  life  came  to  me  when  my  own 
oldest  daughter  came  to  my  office 
and  asked  if  I  didn't  have  a  father's 
blessing  to  give  her.  If  you  haven't 
done  so,  go  back  to  your  father  next 
time  when  you  go  on  your  vacation; 
ask  him  to  give  you  a'  father's  bless- 
ing. 

Other  gifts  and  blessings  have 
been  vouchsafed  to  you  if  you  have 
been  willing  to  accept  responsibility 
in  the  Church.  We  have  a  process 
we  call  setting  apart;  that  is,  the 
commission  of  certain  gifts  and  en- 
dowments of  power  and  the  right  to 
enjoy  inspiration  when  we  are  or- 
dained to  the  priesthood  or  set  apart 
for  an  auxiliary  office  or  set  apart 
to  go  on  a  mission.  The  significance 
of  those  blessings  is  indicated  in 
what  the  Lord  said  to  Edward 
Partridge  when  he  was  about  to  have 
conferred  upon  him  the  Holy  Ghost. 

And  I  will  lay  my  hand  upon  you 
by  the  hand  of  my  servant  Sidney 
Rigdon,  and  you  shall  receive  .  .  .  the 
Holy  Ghost (D&C36:2.) 

The  next  thing  you  must  do  if  you 
want  to  be  safe,  is  to  keep  active  in 
the  Church.  Seek  for  positions 
where  you  can  have,  by  the  setting 
apart  of  those  who  preside  over  you, 
the  endowment  of  special  gifts  that 
will  help  to  keep  you  strong  in  the 
faith. 

The  only  place  on  earth  where  you 
can  receive  the  fulness  of  the  bless- 
ings of  the  priesthood  is  in  the  holy 
temple.  Here  is  the  only  place 
where  through  holy  ordinances  you 
and  your  companion  can  receive  that 
which  will  qualify  you  for  an  exalta- 
tion in  the  celestial  kingdom. 


Now  may  I  look  on  the  negative 
side  of  this  question  for  just  a  mo- 
ment? May  I  call  five  great  prophets 
of  the  Book  of  Mormon  to  witness 
to  one  of  the  greatest  tragic  experi- 
ences that  can  come  to  individuals— 
to  have  the  Lord  withdraw  his  Spirit 
from  you?  And  when  he  speaks  of  his 
Spirit,  it  isn't  the  Holy  Ghost,  be- 
cause many  of  these  spoken  of  by 
the  prophets  had  not  received  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  Spirit 
about  which  I  am  to  read  from  the 
prophets  has  reference  to  the  light 
of  Christ  I  previously  explained. 
This,  when  withdrawn,  will  make  it 
difficult  for  you  to  pray,  difficult  for 
you  to  have  direction  and  guidance, 
difficult  for  you  to  withstand  evil. 
Let  me  read  from  some  of  these  wit- 
nesses.   From  the  Prophet  Nephi, 

For  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  not 
always  strive  with  man.  And  when 
the  Spirit  ceaseth  to  strive  with  man 
then  cometh  speedy  destruction,  and 
this  grieveth  the  soul.  (2  Nephi 
26:11.) 

Alma  the  prophet  made  this  com- 
ment: 

And  thus  we  can  plainly  discern, 
that  after  a  people  have  been  once 
enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  have  had  great  knowledge  of 
things  pertaining  to  righteousness, 
and  then  have  fallen  away  into  sin 
and  transgression,  they  become  more 
hardened,  and  thus  their  state  be- 
comes worse  than  though  they  had 
never  known  these  things.  (Alma 
24:30.) 

I  hope  you  haven't  come  to  that 
state,  but  if  you  are  not  careful  and 
this  experience  is  repeated  again, 
with  each  repetition  there  comes  a 
diminishing  of  that  spirit  until  you, 
like  they,  will  have  lost  not  only  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  but  also 
the  light  of  the  Christ,  or  the  light 
of  intelligence. 

From  the  book  of  Helaman: 

.  .  .  Because  of  the  hardness  of  the 
hearts  of  the  people  of  the  Nephites, 
except  they  repent,  I  will  take  away 
my  word  from  them,  and  I  will  with- 
draw my  Spirit  from  them,  and  I 
will  suffer  them  no  longer,  and  1  will 
turn  the  hearts  of  their  brethren 
against  them.  (Hel.  13:8.) 

From  the  Prophet  Mormon: 

For  behold,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
hath  already  ceased  to  strive  with 
their  fathers;  and  they  are  without 
Christ  and  God  in  the  world;  and 
they  are  driven  about  as  cl%aff  before 
the  wind.  (Mormon  5:16.) 


948 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


rtk 


AM 


It'll  be  a 


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thanks  to 

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DECEMBER  1957 


949 


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And  finally  from  the  brother  of 
Jared: 

And  the  brother  of  Jared  repented 
of  the  evil  which  he  had  done,  and 
did  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord 
for  his  brethren  who  were  with  him. 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  him:  I  will 
forgive  thee  and  thy  brethren  of  their 
sins;  but  thou  shalt  not  sin  any  more, 
for  ye  shall  remember  that  my  Spirit 
will  not  always  strive  with  man; 
wherefore,  if  ye  will  sin  until  ye  are 
fully  ripe  ye  shall  be  cut  off  from  the 
presence  of  the  Lord.  .  .  .  (Ether 
2:15.) 

This,  as  you  now  see,  means  the 
withdrawing  of  that  vital  light  which 
all  could  have  enjoyed  if  they  would 
have  kept  the  commandments. 

Now,  may  I  take  another  example 
to  impress  how  much  farther  one 
may  go.  Recently  there  came  to  my 
office  a  man  who  a  few  years  ago 
was  excommunicated  from  the 
Church  because  of  a  very  serious 
transgression.  After  these  years  of 
sad,  humiliating,  tragic  experience, 
he  is  wondering  how  he  can  find  his 
way  back  into  the  Church.  Well, 
you  might  ask  me,  "Why  should  he 
have  been  excommunicated?"  The 
more  we  give  to  a  person  in  this 
Church,  the  more  the  Lord  expects 
of  him.  We  wouldn't  baptize  a  per- 
son unless  we  are  assured  that  he  is 
repentant  of  his  sins.  We  wouldn't 
think  of  conferring  the-  Holy  Ghost 
upon  him  unless  we  felt  that  he  was 
prepared  to  receive  it.  We  wouldn't 
give  to  him  the  Holy  Priesthood, 
which  would  only  be  a  burden  he  is 
not  prepared  to  carry,  unless  we 
thought  he  was  worthy  of  it.  And 
so  it  is  when  one  has  sinned  so  seri- 
ously that  to  hold  further  member- 
ship or  to  hold  the  Holy  Priesthood 
would  be  as  a  stumbling  block  and 
a  burden  rather  than  a  blessing;  in 
the  wisdom  of  the  Lord,  these  privi- 
leges are  taken  from  him  that  he 
might  be  ground  as  "clay  in  the 
hands  of  the  potter,"  again  tried  and 
tested  until  after  that  testing  he  is 
worthy  again  to  receive  these  holy 
blessings. 

This  man  had  been  excommuni- 
cated. He  was  sitting  in  a  stake 
conference  a  few  weeks  ago.  One 
of  the  General  Authorities  was  there 
and  was  talking  about  some  of  these 
matters.  The  General  Authority 
said,  "One  of  the  most  terrible  things 
that  you  can  experience  is  to  lose  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord."  This  excom- 
municant  sat  there  and  said  to  him- 


self, "How  does  he  know,  unless  he 
has  sinned  as  I  have?  How  does  a 
General  Authority  know?"  Well, 
he  reasoned  it  in  his  mind,  maybe 
vicariously  one  in  his  position  can 
know  and  maybe  he  has  had  experi- 
ences with  those  who  have  lost  the 
Spirit,  so  that  he  knows.  With  these 
things  on  his  mind,  the  excommuni- 
cated brother  went  home  and  began 
to  write,  and  he  put  in  my  hands  the 
results  of  his  thinking.  This  article 
is  one  of  the  saddest  things  that  I 
have  read  in  a  long  time.  This  man 
had  been  a  teacher.    He  said: 

"While  I  was  enjoying  the  Spirit 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  could  read  the 
scriptures  and  the  unfoldment  of  the 
truths  would  come  before  me,  and 
I  was  thrilled.  That  power  is  gone 
today.  That  day  I  heard  that  ter- 
rible word  in  the  high  council  trial, 
'You  are  hereby  excommunicated,' 
it  was  as  though  a  pall  of  darkness 
fell,  and  now  instead  of  light,  there  is 
doubt  and  wavering  in  my  faith.  I 
am  wandering  and  I  am  struggling 
without  that  light.  In  prayer  I  used 
to  be  able  to  kneel  down  and  get  a 
tremendous  lift  from  my  prayer. 
Even  while  I  was  sinning,  even  up  to 
the  point  of  my  excommunication,  I 
got  some  comfort  from  it,  but  now 
it  is  as  though  a  dome  of  steel  is 
over  my  head,  and  I  seem  not  to  be 
able  to  pray.  The  spirit  that  leads 
to  the  presence  of  our  Father  has 
been  lost. 

"I  used  to  enjoy  performing  the 
ordinances  of  the  Church,  especially 
in  behalf  of  my  own  children,  to 
bless  them,  to  baptize  them,  to  con- 
firm them,  to  ordain  them  to  the 
priesthood,  and  now  to  have  to  stand 
by  while  some  other  takes  my  place, 
has  been  one  of  the  saddest  experi- 
ences that  has  come  to  me.  And 
going  to  the  temple— of  course,  I 
have  been  refused  that  privilege  to- 
day. I  no  longer  can  go  there  and 
enjoy  that  sweet  peace.  I  stand  as 
though  I  had  never  been  within  those 
sacred  walls.  I  go  to  Sacrament 
meeting;  I  can't  partake  of  the  Sacra- 
ment. I  can't  even  pay  my  tithing, 
which  I  realize  was  a  great  blessing 
to  me.  I  have  lost  the  respect  of  my 
family.  My  children,  a  son  now 
grown,  tolerate  me,  but  I  know  that 
deep  in  their  hearts  there  is  a  shame 
because  they  bear  the  name  of  a 
father  who  hasn't  lived  worthily. 

"But  the  most  serious  of  all  my 
reflections  has  come  when  I  have 
contemplated   death.      Years    ago   I 


950 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


BIG  FARMING 

built  for  yon 


with  new  exclusive 


THE  "BIG   STICK" 


Quick-shift  on-the-go 
in  two  speed  ranges. 
Eight  speeds  forward. 
For  power  take-off  op- 
eration, you  can  vary 
each  speed  for  those 
tough  or  rough  spots 
. . .  yet  retain  constant 
Hue  PTO  speed. 


Powerful  New 

DYNAMIC    D-17 

Big  Farming!  More  acres  per  day!  The  Big  New  Dynamic  D-17 
plows  a  strip  nearly  six  feet  wide. 

Yes,  it's  all-new  —  with  convenience  features  never  heard  of  be- 
fore in  big  tractors.  It  will  let  you  do  more  work  —  with  less  effort 
—  and  with  a  lower  investment. 

The  new  D-17  can  really  cover  the  acres  with  NEW  BIG 
TOOLS ...  5-bottom  plow,  15-foot  tandem  disc,  24-run  grain  drill, 
or  a  line  of  field  cultivators  to  match. 

Here's  a  big  farm  tractor  with  a  new  feel  of  authority.  You'll 
like  its  commanding  all-new  Power-Crater  engine  — its  new  com- 
fort with  center-ride  seat,  roomy  platform,  convenient  new  controls 
and  instruments. 

The  new  Power  Director  (The  Big  Stick)  lets  you  select  the 
right  working  speed  without  clutching  or  affecting  PTO  speed. 
The  automatic  Traction  Booster  system  provides  the  extra 
traction  to  get  you  through  those  tough  places. 

You'll  want  to  see  and  try  this  all-new  big  Allis-Chalmers  D-17, 
gasoline  or  diesel.  Stop  in  at  your  Allis-Chalmers  dealer. 

ALUS-CHALMERS,  FARM   EQUIPMENT   DIVISION,  MILWAUKEE  1,  WISCONSIN 


LOW-LINE,  HIGH-CROP  design 

Both  D  -17  and  D  -14  Tractors  span  tall  crops. 
New-type  4-row  "swing-in"  cultivators  are 
mounted  in  an  easier,  all-new  way. 

Both  tractors  have  new  Roll-Shift  front 
wheels  and  Power-Shift  rear  wheels  that 
space  without  a  jack.  Snap-Coupler  hitch 
—  of  course!  Illustrated:  D-17  Tractor  with 
10-ft.,  6-in.  Model  K  offset  Disc  Harrow. 


Power-Crater,  Traction  Booster  and  Snap-Coupler 
are  Allis-Chalmers  trademarks 


DECEMBER   1957 


AC>  ALLIS-CHALMERS 

Engineering  in  Action 


951 


used  to  think  of  death  as  an  entrance 
into  a  greater  life  .  .  .  into  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lord.  Now  when  I  think 
about  it,  I  have  a  feeling  of  horror, 
and  for  the  first  time  I  know  what 
the  scripture  means  when  it  says: 

And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that 
those  that  die  in  me  shall  not  taste 
of  death,  for  it  shall  be  sweet  unto 
them; 

And  they  tliat  die  not  in  me,  wo 
unto  them,  for  their  death  is  bitter. 
(D  &  C  42:46-47.) 

"I  had  heard  the  warnings  of  these 
and  other  unpleasant  conditions  that 
would  result  when  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  was  withdrawn  because  of 
transgression.  The  warnings  have 
been  given  many  times  by  the  Gen- 
eral Authorities  as  they  come  to  our 
meetings  to  counsel  us.  How  often 
I  failed  to  heed  their  warning!  How 
often  I  have  asked  myself,  probably 
unconsciously,  if  they  really  knew 
what  they  were  talking  about!  Now 
I  am  being  taught  the  correctness  of 
their  words  by  the  most  costly  of  all 
teachers,  experience.  I  know  now 
that  their  warnings  were  inspired.  I 
know  now  that  the  conditions  they 
said  would  follow  in  the  darkness 
that  comes  with  the  loss  of  the  spirit 
to  transgression,  were  as  sure  to  fol- 
low as  the  night  follows  the  day.  I 
add  my  warning  as  one  who  is  being 
taught  by  sorrowful  costly  experi- 
ence, to  that  of  the  leaders,  and  give 
testimony  that  they  know  whereof 
they  speak.  It  is  given  in  hope  that 
someone  will  be  moved  to  heed  the 
counsel  of  these  wise  men  before  he 
too  has  regrets  that  cannot  be  over- 
come and  sorrows  that  cannot  be  as- 
suaged." 

Dear  girl,  be  thankful  to  God  that 
you  haven't  yet  sinned  to  a  point 
where  you  have  been  excommuni- 
cated from  the  Church;  but  if  this 
continues  and  you  do  not  repent, 
then  perhaps  that  terrible  fate  will 
also  have  to  be  yours  in  order  that 
you  too  can  be  ground  and  refined, 
until  as  clay  in  the  hands  of  the 
potter,  you  are  again  judged  to  be 
worthy  to  receive  your  blessings. 

As  you  walk  the  halls  of  our  meet- 
ing place,  you  look  at  those  placards 
that  we  are  now  sending  out  all  over 
the  Church  for  youth  to  read  and 
by  which  to  be  guided.  We  are  giv- 
ing you  to  carry  with  you  and  to 
memorize  one  of  these  cards  with  a 
caption  which  says,  "Be  honest  with 
yourself."  "Health  and  happiness  and 
success  are  what  our  Father  in  heav- 


en wants  for  us,  and  that  is  why  he 
has  given  us  commandments  to  keep, 
and  not  for  any  other  reason.  Health 
and  happiness  and  success  are  what 
our  parents  want  for  us,  and  that 
is  why  they  give  us  counsel  and 
commandments,  and  not  for  any 
other  reason.  We  have  one  mind 
and  one  memory,  and  it  deserves  to 
be  clear  and  clean.  We  have  one 
earthly  body  which  must  last  for  a 
lifetime.  Our  Maker  planned  it  that 
way.  He  knows  what  is  good  for  us. 
He  knows  what  will  give  us  health 
and  happiness  and  success  and  peace 
inside  ourselves.  That  is  why  he 
told  us  how  to  live,  and  that  is  why 
he  has  told  us  how  to  leave  some 
things  alone." 

Oh,  my  dear  girl,  read  that  plac- 
ard. Look  at  those  pictures.  Be 
impressed  with  what  we  are  trying 
to  say  to  you.  "Be  honest  with  your- 
self. Be  smart.  Be  clean.  Be 
virtuous.    Be  healthy.    Be  happy." 


"Faith  is  an  eternal  principle;  be- 
lief is  an  admission  of  the  fact.  Faith, 
to  us,  is  the  gift  of  God;  belief  is 
inherent  in  the  children  of  men,  and 
is  the  foundation  for  the  reception 
of   faith." 

—Brigham  Young 


Yesterday,  as  a  child,  your  medi- 
cine had  to  be  sugar-coated.  You 
are  not  a  child  any  longer:  you  are 
a  grownup,  and  you  have  to  take 
your  medicine  straight  and  without 
any  sugar-coating  from  here  on. 

Let  us  all  turn  to  the  Bible  along 
with  this  girl,  and  read  something  in 
the  book  of  Psalms.  Will  you  memo- 
rize this  and  let  it  be  in  your  minds 
constantly?  Here  is  the  prayer  of 
one  who  had  sinned  seriously  and 
knew  whereof  he  spoke.  Listen  now, 
and  memorize  it: 

The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect, 
converting  the  soul:  the  testimony  of 
the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the 
simple. 

The  statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right, 
rejoicing  the  heart:  the  command- 
ment of  the  Lord  is  pure,  enlighten- 
ing the  eyes. 

The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean,  en- 
during for  ever:  the  judgments  of  the 
Lord  are  true  and  righteous  alto- 
gether. 


More  to  be  desired  are  they  than 
gold,  yea,  than  much  fine  gold: 
sweeter  also  than  honey  and  the 
honeycomb. 

Moreover  by  them  is  thy  servant 
warned:  and  in  keeping  of  them 
there  is  great  reward. 

Who  can  understand  his  errors? 
cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults. 

Keep  back  thy  servant  also  from 
presumptuous  sins;  let  them  not  have 
dominion  over  me;  then  shall  I  be 
upright  and  I  shall  be  innocent  from 
the  great  transgression. 

Let  the  words  of  my  mouth,  and 
the  meditation  of  my  heart,  be  ac- 
ceptable in  thy  sight,  O  Lord,  my 
strength,  and  my  redeemer.  (Psalm 
19:7-14.) 

Dear  girl,  if  you  will  memorize 
that  and  let  that  be  the  prayer  of 
your  heart,  we  will  pray  for  you; 
we'll  uphold  you;  we'll  sustain  you; 
and  God  in  heaven,  who  will  hear 
your  piteous  cry  of  anguish  in  the 
hours  of  your  repentance,  will  wash 
clean  your  sins  in  the  atoning  blood 
of  the  Lord  and  Savior  of  the  world. 

God  grant  to  all  of  us  and  to  all 
the  youth  of  Zion  the  answer  to  the 
query  of  this  beautiful  girl:  How 
can  I  gain  the  vital  strength  neces- 
sary to  resist  temptation?  Yes,  it  is 
from  spiritual  experiences  such  as 
these  that  youth  may  gain  the  spirit 
power,  the  heart  power  necessary  to 
withstand  temptation.  And  if  little 
troubles  come,  bitterness  overtakes 
you,  differences  arise  in  your  homes 
(you  young  married  couples  who 
are  here  today  struggling  with  life's 
problems),  if  you  will  only  go  to  the 
places  where  the  Lord  is  pouring 
out  his  Spirit  and  will  receive  the 
strength  necessary  to  make  you  love 
instead  of  hate,  then  you  have 
learned  a  lesson  early  in  your  life 
that  perhaps  will  forestall  the  fu- 
ture's saddest  years. 

Oh,  youth  of  Zion,  the  noblest  of 
young  manhood  and  young  woman- 
hood who  walk  the  earth  today,  I 
beseech  you,  be  loyal  to  the  royal 
within  you,  as  children  of  the  Saints 
of  the  Most  High  God,  for  I  bear 
you  my  solemn  testimony  that  these 
are  the  blessings  of  which  the  Proph- 
et Isaiah  spoke,  and  of  which  the 
Apostle  Paul  spoke  when  he  said, 

Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
neither  have  entered  into  the  heart 
of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath 
prepared  for  them  that  love  him. 
(I  Cor.  2:9.) 


952 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


*  ft 

ir    * 


i      i     i     i 

«»■!-'  >n«  ■»■<; —iiioB'Wii  ■iyn»w>  ■■Jmn.i  ■■■■■,.,    tn^Ml* 


,.J{,i..,Wil,Ww„y4,rwJ1|||,rt1|M.w,,    ,       p,^,,, 


#*fe 


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Q^6  a  P^!!^  ft0*  a  i2£^ctUi4£r''b^  teawtl( ! 


-><-  Guaranteed,  of  course!  Fuller  Lifetime  Mirrors  are 
made  of  sparkling  Pittsburgh  Plate  Glass,  expertly 
silvered  and  Copper-Sealed  for  lasting  beauty.  All  this  at  no 
more  cost  than  ordinary  mirrors!  Choose  from  a  wide 
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DECEMBER  1957 


FULLER 


PAINTS  •  GLASS 

W-  P-  FU  LLER    &    CO- 


953 


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ELBERT 
R. 

CURTIS 

President 


ROBERT 

V. 

HODGEN 

Executive 

Vice-Pres. 


SAVINGS  AND  LOAN  ASSN. 

2186  HIGHLAND   DRIVE    SALT   LAKE   CITY,   UTAH 


NOW... 

the  1958  manual  for  the 

Gospel  Doctrine  Department 

of  the 

Sunday  Schools 

Selections  from  the 

Discourses  of 

President  David  O.  McKay 

Paper-bound  and  Abridged  to 

516  Pages 

$1.75 

Cloth-bound  Regular  Editions 
$4.00 

Published  by 

The   Improvement  Era 


PRAYER  FOR  BANGING  DOORS 
by  Jane  Merchant 

I  heard  them  bang  the  door  of  our  new  home 
With  eager  haste,  while  rushing  in  to  tell 
Some  happy  schoolday  news,  and  paused  to  pray 
As  women  will,  in  secret,  "Let  us  dwell 
So  lovingly  that  doors  are  banged  for  joy 
Alone.     I  would  not  have  my  children  mouse- 
Demure,  too  prim  to  make  a  noise— but  let 
No  door  he  banged  in  anger  in  this  house." 


Operation  Andrew 

(Continued)  us  some  valuable 
lessons.  When  they  find  someone 
in  trouble,  they  don't  just  invite  him 
to  come  to  church,  nor  do  they  mere- 
ly write  him  a  postcard  or  say  a 
prayer  in  his  behalf.  They  go  in 
person,  and  they  go  now,  and  they 
go  charged  with  a  helpful  purpose, 
and  they  go  with  a  program.  And 
when  they  get  there,  they  don't 
talk  about  the  weather  or  the  elec- 
tion, and  they  don't  talk  in  a  dis- 
interested, halfhearted,  unfriendly 
way.  And  they  don't  quit  until  they 
get  their  job  done,  and  then  they 
come  back  again  and  again  until  the 
sheep  is  back  on  his  feet. 

Someone  was  telling  of  the  period 
when  he  was  courting  his  wife.  His 
friend  said,  "Why  didn't  you  just 
call  on  her  once?"  Alcoholics  Anony- 
mous and  those  doing  their  courting 
have  found  that  success  is  accumu- 
lative. Each  time  you  put  a  little 
more  fuel  on  the  fire,  you  raise  the 
general  level  of  accomplishment. 

An  effective  contact  with  another 
personality  is  not  only  one  of  the 
most  stimulating  experiences,  it  is 
also  one  of  the  most  pleasant.  "Isola- 
tion" or  "banishment"  from  our  kind 
is  the  greatest  punishment.  The 
shipwrecked  Enoch  Arden  was 
forced  to  live  by  himself  for  a  long 
period.  Tennyson  said,  "He  had  no 
want  for  sustenance."  He  could 
satisfy  every  important  material 
need.  But  Tennyson  said,  "What 
he  fain  would  see  he  could  not  see: 
a  kindly  human  face  or  ever  hear 
a  kindly  human  voice." 

Many  have  made  shipwreck  of 
their  faith  and  live  in  spiritual  iso- 
lation. Their  need  for  warm,  friend- 
ly, spiritual  stimulation  is  as  great 
as  that  of  Enoch  Arden  or  any  alco- 
holic. Here  is  our  great  opportunity. 
But  as  Nero  fiddled  while  Rome 
burned,  and  the  soldiers  diced  while 
Jesus  died,  so  we  sometimes  absent 


954 


ourselves  while  our  brothers  and 
sisters  lose  the  celestial  kingdom. 

Wherever  a  great  man  goes,  this 
"spiritual  fall-out"  makes  other  men 
better.  In  the  late  fall  I  walked  by 
a  dry  alfalfa  field.  The  irrigation 
water  had  been  carried  by  means  of 
a  ditch  past  the  dry  alfalfa  to  nourish 
more  valuable  crops.  But  in  two  or 
three  places  the  water  had  broken 
over  the  bank  and  run  down  into 
the  dry  field.  Wherever  these  "fin- 
gers of  moisture"  had  reached  ouj 
into  the  alfalfa,  the  crop  could  be 
seen  standing  eight  or  ten  inches 
higher  than  that  which  had  received 
no  water.  It  is  the  same  wherever 
a  good  man  goes. 

As  an  example,  I  know  an  Aaronic 
Priesthood  adviser  with  nineteen 
deacons,  every  single  one  of  whom 
has  qualified  for  an  individual 
award  in  each  of  the  past  three 
years.  Last  year  the  adviser  made 
268  personal  visits  to  these  boys  in 
their  homes  to  talk  interestingly  to 
them  and  their  parents  about  their 
eternal  salvation.  Like  Andrew,  he 
was  bringing  them  to  Jesus. 

It  may  be  argued  that  this  "per- 
sonal work"  takes  time.  But  is  there 
a  better  way?  If  our  work  is  worth 
doing,  it  is  worth  doing  right.  And 
this  is  the  only  way  to  give  to  each 
the  exact  help  that  fits  his  need. 

If  a  doctor  has  a  dozen  patients, 
he  gives  each  one  a  separate  diag- 
nosis and  treatment.  He  does  not 
make  a  mass  prescription  for  broken 
legs,  ruptured  appendix,  and  weak 
hearts.  A  good  doctor  meets  his 
patient  on  an  individual,  face-to-face 
basis,  and  often.  He  knows  he  can't 
always  do  a  very  good  job  through 
the  mail  or  over  the  telephone  or  by 
mental  telepathy.  Neither  does  he 
merely  say  a  prayer  for  the  one  in 
trouble.  Rather,  he  puts  on  his 
trousers  and  goes  in  person.  So  it 
should  be  with  us. 

One  might  listen  to  a  great 
preacher  from  now  until  the  cows 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


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come  home  and  not  be  greatly  af- 
fected. But  a  personal,  individual, 
professional  interest,  tailor-made  to 
fit  each  particular  situation,  will 
solve  almost  every  problem.  This  is 
especially  true  if  the  solution  is 
transmitted  through  an  understand- 
ing, friendly,  radioactive  personality. 
The  influence  thus  produced  is  too 
powerful  to  be  resisted.  And  when 
this  radio  beam  is  directed  toward 
getting  men  and  women  into  the 
celestial  kingdom,  it  can  become  the 
most  productive  force  known  in 
the  world.  Salvation  itself  is  an  indi- 
vidual matter  and  can  best  be 
handled  on  an  individual  basis. 

A  great  mission  president  once 
said  that  if  you  have  a  bucket  of 
milk  to  be  put  into  twelve  milk 
bottles,  the  best  way  to  proceed  is 
not  to  throw  the  bucket  at  the  bot- 
tles; rather,  each  bottle  should  be 
given  individual  attention.  And  that 
is  the  best  way  to  solve  problems 
and  develop  spirituality  in  the  lives 
of  people.  Then  treatment  can  be 
given  as  it  is  needed,  where  it  is 
needed,  when  it  is  needed,  and  in 
the  right  amounts.  There  would  be 
many  thousands  more  members  of 
the  Church  get  into  the  celestial 
kingdom  if  we  could  just  get  this 
parable  of  the  lost  sheep  under  our 
belts  and  learn  to  do  it  well. 

Not  only  should  the  message  be 
interesting,  but  so  also  should  the 
messenger  be.  The  highest  function 
of  a  teacher  may  not  always  be  to 
impart  knowledge.  It  may  some- 
times be  to  promote  friendship,  pro- 
duce confidence,  make  situations 
pleasant,  and  give  a  general  uplift. 
Very  little  learning  takes  place  un- 
til the  student  and  the  teacher  reach 
common  ground,  where  a  desire  to 
learn  is  present.  It  should  not  be 
forgotten  that  the  visit  should  al- 
ways be  made  in  the  personal,  indi- 
vidual interest  of  the  one  being 
visited.  If  he  has  a-  grievance,  help 
him  to  unload  it.  If  he  has  some- 
thing that  is  bothering  him,  help 
him  to  get  it  out  of  his  system. 

A  good  psychiatrist  listens  and 
asks  questions  and  understands  un- 
til the  patient  empties  himself.  Then 
he  is  ready  to  learn.  The  psychiatrist 
doesn't  try  to  win  too  many  argu- 
ments. His  job  is  to  extract  the 
poison  that  is  causing  the  patient 
distress.  Only  then  is  he  in  a  posi- 
tion to  give  help, 

Almost  every  life  has  disappoint- 
ments and  sins  and  complexes,  and 
after  the  steam  has  been  blown  off 


956 


THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


or  the  sin  has  been  purged,  the  soul 
may  be  in  a  position  to  let  the  sun- 
light in.  Many  times  a  sympathetic 
ear  has  been  used  as  a  steppingstone 
to  the  celestial  kingdom,  whereas 
if  the  person  had  not  been  given  an 
opportunity  to  air  his  feelings,  they 
might  have  continued  to  fester  until 
cure  was  impossible. 

What  a  great  power  for  good  we 
hold  in  our  hands  in  our  ability  to 
bring  souls  to  Jesus.  "Operation 
Andrew"  should  be  a  most  vital  part 
of  the  work  of  every  worker  in  the 
Church. 


These  Times 

(Continued)  rest  on  the  Interna- 
tional Atomic  Energy  Agency,  cre- 
ated under  the  auspices  of  the 
United  Nations.  Approved  earlier  in 
1957  by  the  principal  member-gov- 
ernments, the  IAEA  was  formally 
launched  on  its  career  at  meetings  in 
Vienna  in  October  1957.  Represent- 
ative Sterling  Cole  of  New  York  is 
first  formal  head  of  the  new  agency. 

4.  No  matter  how  short-lived  or 
"primitive"  the  Russian  "Sputnik"  of 
October  4,  1957;  no  matter  how 
many  bigger,  better,  costlier,  and 
complicated  satellites  are  launched; 
the  world  has  to  face  the  facts  of 
Russian  advancement  in  education, 
science,  and  technology  since  1920. 

In  the  Era  for  March  1956  this 
column  reviewed  the  400-page  vol- 
ume entitled,  Soviet  Professional 
Manpower,  a  volume  published  by 
the  National  Science  Foundation  of 
the  United  States  and  based  on  ex- 
haustive research.  This  review  re- 
ported that  since  the  1920's  the 
Soviet  Union  has  graduated  about 
42  percent  more  engineering  pro- 
fessionals than  the  United  States 
(682,000  compared  to  480,000).  The 
fruit  of  this  educational  investment 
still  lies  in  the  future. 

In  this  same  column  in  August 
1956,  in  a  discussion  of  education 
and  national  security,  it  was  pointed 
out  that  many  Americans  believe  the 
Russian  ten-year  school  is  better 
than  the  American  twelve-grade, 
twelve-year  school  (at  least  in  its 
scientific  content);  and,  in  the  opin- 
ion of  Dr.  William  Benton,  "perhaps 
comparable  to  a  couple  of  years  at 
a  top  college."  Why?  The  Soviet 
ten-year  school  graduate  (he  enters 
at  age  seven)   leaves  with  algebra, 


HOW  MUCH  WOULD  IT  COST 
TO  REPLACE  YOUR  HOME? 


The  average  home-owner  today  car- 
ries only  40%  enough  fire  insurance. 
He's  thinking  backward  to  what  his 
property  cost,  instead  of  forward  to 
what    it   would    cost   to    REPLACE    it. 


Let  us  check  your 
replacement  val- 
ues for  you. 


UTAH  HOME  FIRE  INSURANCE  CO. 


Heber  J.  Grant  &  Co.,  General  Agents 


Salt  Lake  City 


DECEMBER   1957 


957 


LOCKHART 

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Brigham  Young  University's  Home  Study  Catalog 


11 

4-j-:-v:::: 

i    t' 

S   THE 
7  SPOKEN 
'    WORD 

Freedom  and  Conformity 

Richard  L.  Evans 

Always  and  ever  before  us  is  the  question  of  free- 
dom and  force— of  what  we  do  willingly,  because 
we  want  to,  and  what  we  do  because  we  feel  we 
must.  Freedom  and  conformity  can  be  much  mis- 
understood—by the  young,  and  by  those  of  all  ages. 
Sometimes,  paradoxically,  a  person  may  much  enjoy  what  has  been 
brought  about  by  a  certain  set  of  standards,  and  yet  rebel  against 
the  very  standards  that  have  brought  it  about.  For  example,  some- 
times those  who  like  to  live  in  a  free  land  seek  to  undermine  the 
foundations  of  the  very  freedom  under  which  they  like  to  live. 
People  like  the  protection  of  law.  But  when  it  is  applied  to  them 
they  often  feel  that  there  is  unfairness.  Look,  for  example,  at  the 
laws  of  highway  speed  and  safety.  They  are  generally  considered 
to  be  essential,  but  when  someone  is  fined  for  exceeding  the  limits 
of  the  law,  he  may  feel  that  there  is  unfairness— for  others  were 
going  as  fast  or  faster.  Look,  for  example  at  another  paradox: 
Sometimes  youth  willingly  conform  to  the  foolish  conduct  of  the 
crowd,  yet  seem  to  resent  following  what  would  clearly  be  for 
their  benefit.  They  may,  for  example,  resent  going  to  school  or 
complying  with  the  required  curriculum.  (While  those  who  don't 
have  the  privilege  would  gratefully  seek  and  accept  it,  yet  those 
who  have  come  to  expect  society  to  provide  all  the  education  they 
can  absorb,  sometimes  seem  to  go  to  class  with  the  feeling  that  they 
are  doing  a  favor  for  someone  except  themselves.)  Another  ex- 
ample: some  seem  to  resent  the  conformity  that  calls  for  keeping 
the  commandments.  Yet  we  couldn't  long  live  together  in  this 
world  without  some  considerable  keeping  of  the  commandments. 
Nor  are  they  arbitrary.  The  Lord  God  hasn't  simply  sat  down 
and  thought  up  a  series  of  "thou  shalt  not's."  He  knows  us.  He 
knows  our  nature.  He  knows  what  will  make  us  happy  or  un- 
happy. And  in  a  sense  each  basic  law  or  commandment  enforces 
itself.  Each  law  of  nature  enforces  itself.  If  we  don't  keep  them 
we  simply  pay  a  price.  Coercion  in  many  of  its  aspects  is  an  evil. 
Taking  freedom  from  another  person  by  fear  or  force  is,  in  many 
of  its  aspects,  an  evil.  There  is  no  more  fundamental  law  in  the 
gospel  of  the  Master  than  the  free  agency  of  man.  But  this  we 
would  say  to  youth,  and  to  all  others  also:  the  wisest,  most  intelli- 
gent use  of  freedom  is  using  freedom  to  live  within  the  law.  And 
the  wisest  decision  a  man  can  make  is  to  conform  to  high  standards, 
to  the  keeping  of  the  commandments,  to  living  with  the  law.  Will- 
ing conformity  to  law  gives  man  his  finest  freedom. 

"The  Spoken  Word,"  from  Temple  Square  presented  over  KSL   and  the 
Columbia   Broadcasting  System,    October   6,  1957,   Copyright    1957. 


CONFIDENCE 

by  Hazel  M.  Thomson 

Last  night  the  trees  were  gray  and  bare, 
And  stood  exposed  in  clear,  cold  air, 
So  dull  and  bleak  against  the  snow, 
Yet  straight  and  strong,  as  if  they  know, 
That  long  before  the  dark  is  lost, 
They  will  be  clothed  in  robes  of  frost. 


958 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


This  year  your  gas  company  has  brought  the 

warmth  of  natural  gas  to  many  more  homes 
in  the  area  we  serve.  For  this  we  are  both 

proud  and  thankful.  And  now,  as  the  yule 
approaches,  all  of  us  at  Mountain  Fuel  Supply 

Company  wish  you  and  yours  a  most  joyous 
holiday  season.  We  are  proud  to  be  a  factor  in 
the  development  of  this  territory. 


MOUNTAIN  FUEL  SUPPLY  CO. 


DECEMBER  1957 


959 


trigonometry,  and  geometry,  four 
years  of  physics  and  chemistry,  two 
years  of  biology,  and  six  years  of  a 
foreign  language. 

How  many  college  graduates  read- 
ing this  column  have  had  as  stiff 
training?  The  point  for  the  future 
is  to  reckon  with  the  fact  that  the 
social  and  technological  effects  of 
this  kind  of  scientific  education  are 
yet  to  be  felt  in  the  world.  Look  to 
1975.  The  Russian  youngsters  now 
starting  a  ten-year  school  at  age 
seven  will  then  be  through  their 
five-year  university  program  and 
at  age  25  will  have  been  three  years 
in  field,  factory,  laboratory,  or 
arsenal. 

Some  readers  of  this  column  may 
recall  that  in  February  1948  it  was 
pointed  out  that  House  Document 
754,  79th  Congress  (Communism  in 
Action,  prepared  under  the  direction 
of  Everett  M.  Dirksen,  now  US 
Senator  from  Illinois)  showed  that 
the  Soviet  government  spent  over 
eight  percent  of  its  national  income 
for  education  in  1945,  compared 
with  two  percent  in  the  United 
States.     Said  that  report: 

"In  proportion  to  national  income 
the  Russian  people  are  supporting 
education    several  .  times    as    gener- 


ously as  the  people  of  the  United 
States."  And,  it  continued,  "far  more 
generously  than  any  other  people 
in  history." 

President  Eisenhower's  Committee 
on  Education  Reyond  The  High 
School  in  the  USA,  in  1957  could  re- 
port that  in  1955  Americans  spent 
$85  per  capita  for  liquor  and  to- 
bacco, $15.77  for  parimutuel  betting, 
$79.00  for  recreation,  and  $18.51  for 
education.  The  purpose  of  educa- 
tion is  not  to  build  earth  satellites  or 
weapons.  Rut  as  Dr.  Renton  said 
in  addressing  the  American  Associa- 
tion for  Higher  Education  in  Chi- 
cago, March  1956:  "Soviet  education 
poses  threats  more  ominous  than  the 
hydrogen  bomb."  To  which  can 
now  be  added,  "more  ominous  than 
an  ICRM." 

5.  The  immediate  burden  on  Amer- 
ican education,  especially  higher 
education,  remains  what  it  always 
has  been.  It  has  its  financial,  scien- 
tific, and  liberal-spiritual  side.  I 
rather  suspect  that  Americans  in 
1958  will  suddenly  find  themselves 
spending  more  of  their  national  in- 
come here,  if  no  less  on  liquor,  to- 
bacco, and  cosmetics.  The  financial 
side  cannot  be  overestimated.  Re- 
cause  top  Soviet  professors  receive 


enormous  salaries,  one  can  under- 
stand how  Soviet  youth  are  being 
motivated  to  develop  their  intellec- 
tual gifts  and  talents.  Professors  are 
the  geese  that  lay  the  golden  eggs  in 
this  age  of  science  and  technology- 
professional  manpower.  The  next 
generation  of  topflight  Soviet  pro- 
fessors seems  assured.  Moreover 
there  will  be  keen  competition  for 
the  full  professorships  available, 
from  top,  youthful  talent. 

Love  of  teaching,  love  of  aca- 
demic life,  love  of  students,  books, 
research,  laboratories,  and  libraries 
are  all  powerful  forces.  Will  this 
love,  nurtured  by  dedicated  men  and 
women,  be  sufficient  to  provide 
similar  topflight  talent  in  the  West, 
Europe,  the  United  States,  when  our 
present  great  scientific  teachers  re- 
tire in  the  next  ten  or  fifteen  years 
or  will  the  low  salaries  divert  the 
American  youth  to  other  fields? 

In  reality  the  issues  in  scientific 
and  technical  education  are  not 
financial.  They  are  basically  spir- 
itual. Whether  or  not  education 
in  the  West  solves  its  financial  prob- 
lem, western  education  must,  at  the 
present  juncture  of  history  at  least, 
outperform  current  Soviet  educa- 
tion in  two  ways:  (1)  in  sheer  scien- 


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960 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


tific  achievement,  including  the  pro- 
duction and  training  of  professional 
manpower  for  all  fields  of  life,  not 
merely  for  the  arsenal;  (2)  in  the 
great  humanistic  fields  of  liberal 
education,  where  the  ultimate  in 
teaching,  in  studying,  and  in  under- 
standing leads  to  the  conclusion  that 
man  is  a  spiritual  being.  This  phase 
of  education  is  rather  buried  and 
sidetracked  in  the  Soviet  Union. 
Only  the  qualities  of  the  human 
spirit  known  to  Soviet  doctrine  are 
nurtured  and  given  sustenance.  The 
great  yearnings  and  aspirations  of 
the  soul  as  revealed  in  the  literature 
and  life  of  man,  in  odd  circum- 
stances throughout  the  wide  world, 
are  obscured  save  as  fodder  for 
political  technique. 

The  world  has  long  needed  the 
lesson  that  matter  and  spirit,  things 
material  and  things  beyond,  are  in- 
separable from  each  other.  Given 
time,  Soviet  science  and  Soviet  edu- 
cation must  inevitably  stumble  to- 
wards this  truth  and  recognize  the 
great  humane  values  that  are  re- 
vealed in  the  life  of  man,  the  values 
that  testify  of  the  divine  spark 
kindled  from  man's  divine  parent- 
age. But  in  that  time,  western  edu- 
cation must  kindle  and  nurture  those 
values  as  never  before,  as  it  under- 
takes  to    provide  through   scientific 


A  Reading  Christmas 

( Continued ) 

BUD  PLAYS  TUNIOR  HIGH 
FOOTBALL,  C.  Paul  Jackson 
Hastings    House,    Publishers,    New    York, 
1957.  $2.75. 

Bud,  the  hero  of  this  story,  is  a  good  ex- 
ample of  a  junior  high  boy  who  loves  to 
play  football.  So  far  at  his  school  they 
only  play  touch  football,  but  there  is  an 
interschool  league  in  his  town  and  much 
rivalry  in  making  the  teams.  The  book  is 
full  of  fun  and  excitement. 

One  feature  of  the  book  is  an  appended 
section  taken  from  an  actual  junior  foot- 
ball clinic  sports  schedule,  giving  rules, 
plays,  and  instructions  in  junior-type  foot- 
ball.-E.  /.  M. 

THE  FLAG  BOOK,  Preben  Kannik 

M.  Barrows  &  Co.,  Inc.,  Neiv  York.  1957. 

196  pages.    Illustrated.  $3.50. 

Of  the  196  pages  in  this  book,  132  are 
plates  indicating  the  various  flags  and 
standards  of  the  nations  of  the  world.  The 
text  following  these  plates  explains  the 
historical  development  of  flags,  the  proper 
use  of  the  United  States  flag,  a  glossary, 
and  an  index,  and  will  prove  interesting 
and  valuable.— M.  C.  J. 


DECEMBER   1957 


means  the  material  wherewithal  for 
a  sturdy,  stout  economic  and  politi- 
cal society. 

Far  more  important  than  the 
launching  of  the  first  satellite  is  the 
truth  of  the  old  adage,  "knowledge 
is  power."  To  paraphrase  the  lines 
of  a  hymn,  the  world  has  received  a 
lesson  that  "the  knowledge  and 
power  of  the  Soviet  Union  are  ad- 
vancing." Let  us  hope  that  as  they 
plumb  the  universe  for  new  facts 
and  methodologies,  that  something 
of  gentleness,  love,  and  faith  may 
also  come  to  light.     But  let  us  not 


depend  on  it  nor  leave  it  to  chance! 
The  demands  on  the  West  to  pro- 
duce scholars  and  gentlemen  must 
be  read  in  new  and  searching  light. 
Never  before  have  the  words  "schol- 
ar and  gentleman"  connoted  so  much 
nor  demanded  so  much  from  those 
who  seek  knowledge,  and  from  those 
who  seek  to  impart  and,  by  means 
of  research,  to  add  to  knowledge. 
Perhaps  there  is  new  meaning  for 
scholarship  in  these  times  in  the 
words  of  Jesus,  "Blessed  are  the 
meek,  for  they  shall  inherit  the 
earth." 


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961 


Today's  Family 


Eileen  Gibbons,  Editor 


CHRISTMAS 
and 

CHILDREN 


A  kindergarten  teacher  once  told  me  she  would  rather 
teach  all  summer  than  have  to  manage  a  roomful  of  small 
children  the  last  two  weeks  before  Christmas.  She  had 
taught  for  many  years,  and  she  dreaded  the  Yule  season. 
As  each  day  brought  Christmas  nearer,  it  became  increas- 
ingly difficult  to  keep  the  class  under  control.  Boys  and 
girls  who  were  normally  co-operative  and  well-behaved 
became  balky,  tearful,  and  tense.  The  problem  children 
became  virtually  unmanageable  before  they  were  finally 
released,  with  a  long  sigh  from  the  teacher,  for  Christmas 
vacation. 

This  woman  felt  that  one  cause  of  this  pre-Christmas 
tension  is  the  stress  on  the  Santa  Claus  legend— the  "if  you're 
good,  you'll  get  something!"  In  her  opinion,  this  stress 
leads  to  worry  and  nervousness  and  multiplies  the  tension 
we  normally  expect  as  our  children  anticipate  Christmas. 

I  believe  that  an  even  greater  source  of  tenseness  in 
children  at  Christmas  is  the  increased  "busyness,"  bustle, 
and  rush  of  the  grownup  world.  We  adults  can  work  off 
our  excitement,  but  in  our  hurry  the  children  often  get 
pushed  aside  to  await  the  great  day.  They  are  anxious, 
tense,  a  little  worried,  ready  to  burst  with  curiosity,  and 
there  is  nothing  to  do! 

Of  course,  we  busy  ourselves  because  of  them.  Christmas 
is  for  children.  But  this  does  not  mean  that  in  their  minds 
it  should  connote  only  surprise  and  suspense— only  toys, 
candy,  and  colorfully  decorated  trees.  The  observance  of 
the  birth  of  Christ— for  the  children  as  well  as  for  the 
parents— should  bring  a  spirit  of  love  and  peace  into  homes 
instead  of  the  concern,  hustle,  and  exhaustion  that  often 
accompany  the  season. 

Children  are  just  as  capable  as  adults  of  enjoying  all  by 
itself  the  true  meaning  of  Christmas.  My  three  active, 
healthy  children  love  the  thought  of  Baby  Jesus  and  the 
shepherds.  They'll  choose  to  sing  "The  First  Noel"  before 
"Santa  Claus  Is  Coming  to  Town"  anytime.  I  don't  mean 
to  imply  that  we  should  do  away  with  Santa.  Although 
there  has  been  something  of  a  trend  in  the  last  decade  to 
unmask  and  dethrone  the  old  gentleman,  to  me  he  is  too 
dear  and  too  harmless  a  myth  for  such  a  measure.  As  long 
as  he  is  treated  with  a  light  hand  and  kept  in  his  place,  he 
offers  no  threat,  only  delight  to  a  small  child's  understanding 


962 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


by  Thais  T.  Williams 

of  Christmas.  He  has  one  major 
trait  in  common  with  Christ:  He 
gives  because  he  loves.  And  this  is 
the  spirit  that  should  permeate  the 
whole  of  Christmas.  Beyond  this, 
Santa  should  stay  on  the  same  plane 
as  the  elves  and  fairies,  not  some- 
thing taught  or  preached  ("You'd 
better  be  '  good— you'd  better  not 
cry"),  but  simply  enjoyed  like  Cin- 
derella and  Pooh  Bear. 

We  can  help  our  children  enjoy 
the  Christmas  season— the  season, 
not  just  the  day— and  teach  them  its 
real  meaning  by  giving  them  some- 
thing to  do;  by  letting  them  help 
make  Christmas  instead  of  just  wait- 
ing for  it. 

But  let's  not  start  too  early.  Let 
the  youngsters  think  about  Hal- 
loween in  October.  Give  November 
back  to  Thanksgiving  Day.  (Of 
course,  you,  Mother,  will  have  been 
planning  since  September  if  things 
are  to  go  smoothly  during  Decem- 
ber. There  are  many  things  you  can 
get  out  of  the  way  early  to  give  you 
more  time  for  your  children  in 
December,  such  as  shopping  and 
knitting  or  sewing.  I  like  to  do  my 
thorough  holiday  cleaning  just  before 
Thanksgiving;  then  the  house  needs 
only  a  light  polishing  before  we 
start  decorating  for  Christmas.) 

It  may  seem  next  to  impossible  to 
find  time  to  create  things  to  keep 
our  children  occupied  during  De- 
cember, especially  when  we  remem- 
ber how  rushed  we  were  last  year, 
but  any  effort  is  worth  while.  Our 
children  will  enjoy  Christmas  more, 
and  so  will  we  if  they  are  kept  busy. 


DECEMBER  1957 


t'For  cruise -like  comfort— go  B/G-O/" 

Largest  and  Fastest  Liners  to 


AUSTRALIA 
NEW  ZEALAND 


Your  trans-Pacific  trip  is  a  vacation  in  itself, 
aboard  any  of  Orient  Line's  Big-0  express 
ships.  Three  blissful  weeks  of  sunshine  and  sea 
air  .  .  .  relaxing  on  spacious  sports  decks  . . . 
pampered  by  fine  food  and  flawless  British 
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.  .  .  swimming  pools,  air-conditioned  public 
rooms,  generous  free  baggage  allowance,  com- 
fortable living  quarters.  Three  classes.  Tourist 
round-trip,  from  $554  to  Auckland,  $604  to 
Sydney.  Regular  West  Coast  sailings,  via 
Hawaii  and  Fiji.  See  your  local  travel  agent. 


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Orient  line 

"There's  no  better  way 
to  cross  the  Pacific!" 


CUNARD  LINE  •  General  Passenger  Agents  in  U.  S.  and  Canada 


Dr.  W.W. 
Bauer 


Dr.  Bauer  Is  director 
of  health  education 
for  the  American 
Medical  Association. 
He  is  a  nationally- 
recogni2ed  authority 
and  he  can  give  you 
valuable  information  on 
how  to  keep  well.  His 
columns  are  written  to  be 
understood  by  everyone. 
Find  them  on  the  page 
opposite  the  editorials  in 
your  family  newspaper,  the 
Deseret  News  and  Telegram. 


The 

DOCTOR 


r.  -  \ 


m 


Bum^MT  Maws 


THE     MOUNTAIN     WEST'S   /tV<&>~r4  E  W  ! 


SPAPER 


963 


SALT  LAKE  MORMON 

TABERNACLE  CHOIR 

GOES  TO  EUROPE-1955 

by 
WARREN   JOHN   "JACK"  THOMAS 

Just  Off  the  Press 

COMPLETE   TOUR 
AND   ALL   ITS   PREPARATION 


SPECIAL   PRICE:    $4.00 

It  is  highly  interesting,  authentic, 
informative,  spiritual,  intimate,  and 
charmingly  written.  With  pictures, 
press  reports  of  all  concerts  in 
foreign  countries,  and  receptions 
of  foreign  dignitaries. 

The  testimonial  section  of  foreign 
Mission  Presidents,  Choir  Staff  and 
Choir  members  is  well  worth  the 
price  and  your  time  for  reading  it. 
A  delightful  Christmas  gift. 

CiA  record  of  the  greatest 
piece  of  missionary  work  the 
Church  has  undertaken." 

President  David  O.  McKay 

Second  Edition  and  a  Few  First  Editions 
Available  At 

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44  East  South  Temple 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

Also  at 

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65  East  Second  South 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


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SUBSCRIPTION 
MAY  EXPIRE 

To  renew  just  mail  your  pay- 
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of  your  address  label  to 

THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 

50  No.  Main  St. 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 


It  is  easy,  and  so  important,  to  in- 
clude our  children  in  our  holiday 
preparations.  When  we  make  up 
our  Christmas  cards,  let's  let  them 
help  us  think  of  the  names.  Let 
them  send  a  few  cards  of  their  own. 
They  will  love  to  help  choose  the 
tree  and  decorate  it.  Stringing  pop- 
corn or  cranberry  chains  will  keep 
them  happy  for  hours  or  they  can 
make  colored  paper  ropes  or  paint 
pine  cones  with  gilt  paint.  Even  if 
we  plan  elegant  decorations  too 
fragile  or  difficult  for  children's 
hands  to  assemble,  let's  let  them 
watch  us  do  it.  If  they  do  nothing 
more  than  hand  us  the  glue,  they'll 
feel  they've  had  a  part  in  things. 

And  there  is  the  baking.  What 
child  wouldn't  rather  help  make 
cookies  or  candy  than  almost  any- 
thing else  in  the  world?  One  won- 
derful cook  I  know  sets  aside  two 
days  in  December  just  for  making 
cookies.  One  day  she  does  the 
fancier  things;  the  other  day  she 
helps  her  children  make  and  deco- 
rate simple  cookies  for  their  friends. 
These  baking  days  are  very  special 
days  for  her  family,  and  the  big  box 
of  cookies  we  receive  each  year  from 
them  is  a  gift  we  all  look  forward  to. 

Always  included  in  her  holiday 
baking  is  this  recipe  for  ginger 
cookies  which  is  so  simple  that 
youngsters  can  follow  it  almost  by 
themselves.  Later  they  can  do  their 
own  decorating  with  colored  sugar 
icing  and  candy  beads. 

Ginger  Cookies 

2  cups  flour 
Vi  teaspoon  salt 

2  teaspoons  soda 

1  teaspoon  cinnamon 

1  teaspoon  cloves 

1  teaspoon  ginger 
%  cup  butter  or  margarine 

1  cup  sugar 

1  egg 
V4  cup  light  molasses 

Sift  together  first  six  ingredients. 
Cream  together  butter  and  sugar. 
Add  egg  and  molasses  to  creamed 
mixture.  Stir  in  dry  ingredients. 
Roll  dough  with  hands  into  small 
balls  and  roll  balls  in  sugar.  Place 
on  greased  baking  sheet,  flatten  with 
bottom  of  glass,  and  bake  in  moder- 
ate oven  (350°  F.)  15  minutes  or 
until  light  brown. 

Butter  cookies  are  another  favorite 
on    my    friend's    December    baking 


964 


days.  This  cookie  dough  is  quite 
delicate,  so  she  prepares  it  well 
ahead.  Her  children  do  the  cutting 
and  decorating. 

Butter  Cookies 

1  cup  butter 

V2  cup  sugar 

1  egg 

1  tablespoon  vanilla 
3  cups  flour 
Vz  teaspoon  baking  powder 

Cream  together  butter  and  sugar. 
Add  egg  and  vanilla.  Add  flour 
sifted  with  baking  powder.  Chill 
dough  two  hours,  roll  on  lightly 
floured  board,  and  cut  into  desired 
shapes.  Bake  5  minutes  in  hot  oven 
(425°  F. )  or  until  lightly  browned. 
When  cool,  frost  and  decorate. 

If  we  aren't  sure  enough  of  our 
baking  to  make  cookies  for  our 
friends,  we  can  still  spend  delight- 
ful hours  with  our  children  making 
cookies  or  candy  just  for  fun  and 
just  for  the  family.  Even  if  the 
candy  comes  out  sugary  and  the 
cookies  sunken  and  flat,  we  can  have 
a  wonderful  time  and  send  some 
lovely  odors  drifting  about  the 
house. 

If  children  are  to  enjoy  Christmas 
to  the  fullest,  they  must  have  a 
chance  to  give:  to  give  of  them- 
selves and  to  give  "things."  Even  a 
two-year-old  should  be  allowed  the 
blessed  privilege  of  giving  some- 
thing to  someone  he  loves.  Any 
child  will  remember  a  beautiful 
Christmas  tree,  but  he  will  remem- 
ber longer  and  cherish  more  in  his 
heart  the  look  of  appreciation  and 
delight  on  the  face  of  a  person  who 
has  just  opened  a  gift  he  made  or 
earned  money  for  or  picked  out  and 
wrapped  himself.  If  we  want  our 
child  to  be  appreciative  and  un- 
selfish, we  must  be  sure  we  show  ap- 
preciation for  the  things  he  gives 
us  and  the  things  he  does  for  us.  If 
his  first  experiences  in  giving  are 
rewarding,  he  will  want  to  give 
again. 

To  make  giving  really  special,  let's 
help  our  youngsters  plan  a  gift  for 
someone  outside  the  close  family 
circle— an  older  person  in  the  neigh- 
borhood who  has  been  especially 
kind,  a  friend  in  a  hospital  or  rest 
home  or  share  with  them  the  "se- 
cret" thrill  of  giving  an  anonymous 
gift  to  a  less  fortunate  child.  This 
may  be  done  through  organized 
groups  such  as  the  firemen  or  the 


THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Deseret  Industries. 

Our  children's  joy  in  giving  will 
be  greatly  increased  if  they  earn 
their  own  money  for  the  gifts  they 
give.  I  know  a  young  boy  who 
sells  Christmas  cards  each  year,  and 
last  year  two  children  under  ten 
came  by  selling  doll  clothes  and 
clever  door  decorations.  Last  year 
I  let  my  children  do  extra  jobs  about 
the  house  to  earn  their  Christmas 
money.  My  four-year-old  set  the 
tables  and  cleared  them  after  meals 
for  a  month  to  earn  her  money. 
Sometimes  she  would  not  want  to 
do  it,  but  as  she  saw  the  pennies 
and  nickels  and  dimes  mount  in  her 
jar,  she  again  became  eager  to  help. 
Her  six-year-old  brother  cleaned  the 
washbasin  and  vacuumed  the  living 
room  and  dining  room. 

Let's  sing  and  read  to  our  children 
the  beautiful  songs  and  stories  of 
Christmas,  or  perhaps  have  a  short 
singing  time  before  bedtime  each 
night.  As  Christmas  approaches  add 
carols— a  new  one  every  third  night 
or  so.  Even  parts  of  The  Messiah 
could  be  sung.  We  don't  have  to 
have  magnificent  voices— if  we  sing 
with  our  hearts  our  children  will 
respond  and  sing  with  us.  Singing 
together  can  make  a  family  feel  so 
close,  perhaps  because  they're  all 
saying  the  same  words  and  singing 
the  same  tune;  whatever  it  is,  it's  a 
warm,  harmonious  feeling.  Try  to 
find  a  few  evenings  before  Christmas 
to  sing  the  songs  of  Christmas  with 
your  children. 

And  read  to  them  Luke,  chapter 
two,  and  Matthew,  chapter  two. 
Even  very  young  children  can  enjoy 
the  Christmas  story  just  as  it  is  writ- 
ten there.  The  words  of  the  New 
Testament  are  so  liquid  and  beauti- 
ful that  it  isn't  necessary  to  under- 
stand every  word.  If  children  are 
allowed  to  hear  this  story  often, 
they  will  grow  up  loving  the  very 
sound  of 

"Fear  not:  for,  behold,  I  bring  you 
good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall 
be  to  all  people.  For  unto  you  is 
born  this  day  in  the  city  of  David  a 
Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord." 
Perhaps  we  expect  them  to  get  this 
part  of  Christmas  in  Primary  or 
Sunday  School,  and  they  probably 
will,  but  they'll  enjoy  it  more  from 
us— and  who  has  heard  it  too  many 
times? 

Once  they  have  learned  the  Bible 
story  there  are  many  other  tales 
which  we  can  'read  to  our  children 
to  make  the  meaning  of  Christmas 


Her  hobby  is  collecting  recipes 


Expert  Cook  From  Clearfield,  Utah 
Wins  Ribbons  at  Two  Different  Fairs 


Teen-age  daughter  Nancy  does  the 
honors— and  she's  mighty  happy  to 
pin  that  prize  ribbon  on  Mrs. Kenneth 
Gardner  who  won  it  in  cooking  com- 
petition! Mrs.  Gardner  entered  at 
two  fairs  last  year  . .  .  won  24  ribbons 
at  the  Utah  State  Fair  and  12  at  the 
Davis  County  Fair. 

Mrs.  Gardner  enjoys  serving  yeast- 
raised  dishes,  and,  of  course,  she  uses 
Fleischmann's  Active  Dry  Yeast. 
"It's  so  handy,"  she  says.  "Keeps 
for  months  on  my  shelf— and  always 
gives  me  grand  results." 

Holiday  meals   are  more  festive 


with  lots  of  yeast-raised  specialties. 
If  you  make  yours  at  home,  use 
Fleischmann's  Active  Dry  Yeast— 
it's  the  very  best — the  kind  prize- 
winning  cooks  prefer.  Fleischmann's 
Active  Dry  Yeast  keeps  for  months 
on  your  shelf,  and  it's  fast  rising, 
easy  to  use.  And  try  the  new  "Yeast- 
Riz"  Main  Dishes.  You'll  find  a 
recipe  on  every  "Thrifty  Three." 


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DECEMBER   1957 


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more  real  and  understandable:  "Why 
the  Chimes  Rang,"  "The  Other  Wise 
Man,"  and  Dickens'  "Christmas 
Carol"  are  a  few.  There  are  many 
more,  and  which  we  choose  isn't 
nearly  so  important  as  the  sharing 
of  them,  the  reading  of  them  to- 
gether. 

The  snowy  hush  outside,  the 
colored  toys,  the  bright  globes  on 
the  piny  tree  alone  do  not  make  the 
Yuletide  season  meaningful  to  chil- 
dren—it is  the  atmosphere  in  the 
home— the  spirit  of  Christ,  the  peace 
and  warmth  and  happiness— over- 
flowing the  hurry  and  rilling  in  the 
cracks  between  the  thousand  things 
to  do. 


Christmas  is  very  like  a  holiday 
pudding,  white  and  crowned  with  a 
crimson  cherry,  soft  and  sweet,  rest- 
ing in  a  crystal  dish.  And  like  a 
holiday  pudding,  Christmas  is  com- 
posed of  many  ingredients— of  giv- 
ing and  receiving,  singing  and  lis- 
tening, working  and  playing,  rushing 
about  and  sitting  very  still,  of 
glittering  lights  and  of  a  shadowed 
stable  where  a  Child  lies  in  a  bed  of 
hay,  of  laughter  and  a  special  tear 
slipping  down  a  cheek. 

If  we  would  serve  our  children  a 
real  slice  of  Christmas,  we  must  give 
them  more  than  just  a  nibble  of  the 
shiny  cherry  on  top— we  must  let 
them  taste  it  all! 


CHRISTMAS 
GIFTS 


by  Mildred  Goff 


The  wise  men  brought  three  gifts: 
gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh. 

This  Christmas,  try  adding  three 
gifts  to  your  list.  Yes,  I  know  your 
Christmas  gift  list  is  already  overly 
long,  that  you  have  neither  time  nor 
money  for  extra  gifts.  But  these  will 
cost  you  little  in  time,  and  less  in 
money,  and  they  will  capture  for 
you  the  true  Christmas  spirit  so 
often  lost  in  the  rush  and  flurry  of 
the  season. 

First  gift:  to  a  stranger.  This 
might  be  a  note  to  the  bus  company, 
mentioning  that  bus  driver  who  is 
unfailingly  pleasant  and  courteous, 
even  under  the  most  trying  condi- 
tions. Send  a  Christmas  card  to  the 
waitress  who  is  so  cheerful  and 
quick  to  serve  you.  Write  a  letter 
to  the  author  whose  book,  story,  or 
poem  you  have  enjoyed  recently. 
Drop  a  note  to  the  department  store 
whose  windows  entice  you,  with  a 
word  of  praise  for  the  work  of  the 
window  dresser.  You  can  think  of 
many  more.     Choose  at  least  one. 

Second  gift:  to  someone  you  find 
it  hard  to  like,  or  to  someone  you 


feel  does  not  like  you  very  much. 
It  might  be  your  cross  old  great- 
aunt,  or  a  sharp-tongued  cousin; 
perhaps  it  is  a  business  associate  who 
annoys  you,  or  an  irritable  neighbor. 
Send  a  small,  inexpensive,  but 
thoughtful  gift  to  one  in  this  group. 
It  might  be  no  more  than  a  clipping 
or  an  article  about  some  hobby  for 
the  neighbor;  a  magazine  you  know 
she  would  enjoy  for  the  cranky  rela- 
tive. Remember,  it  is  easy  to  give 
to  those  we  love,  but  God's  love 
includes  the  whole  world. 

Third  gift:  to  someone  in  trouble. 
Think  of  those  enduring  a  cheerless 
old  age,  who  would  be  so  grateful 
for  an  unexpected  caller.  There  are 
many  in  hospitals  who  have  no  one 
to  visit  them,  to  read  to  them,  to  talk 
to  them.  And  consider  those  in 
prisons;  yes,  we  are  told  we  should 
visit  them,  too.  An  hour  spent  with 
one  of  these  lonely  and  half -forgot- 
ten persons  will  do  much  for  them, 
and  more  for  you. 

This  Christmas,  give  these  three 
gifts.  You  will  be  repaid  a  thousand- 
fold. 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


Bookrack 


PATHWAYS  TO  HAPPINESS 
President    David   O.    McKay,   com- 
piled by  Llewelyn  R.  McKay.  Book- 
craft,  Salt  Lake  City.  1957.  405  pages. 
$3.95. 

From  the  compiled  addresses  of 
President  McKay,  carefully  pre- 
served by  his  secretary,  Miss  Clare 
Middlemiss,  Llewelyn  R.  McKay  has 
selected  many  which  will  indeed  in- 
dicate Pathways  to  Happiness  for  all 
who  read.  The  inspiration  of  the 
President's  utterances,  the  warmth 
of  his  great  spirit,  the  rare  insight 
he  has  into  needs  of  people  have 
all  gone  into  making  this  a  book  that 
will  encourage  and  stimulate. 

No  listing  of  titles  is  adequate  to 
indicate  the  variety  and  significance 
of  the  material  that  is  bound  within 
the  covers  of  this  book.  There  is 
something  of  hope  for  everyone.  Al- 
most every  subject  that  would  prove 
oi  value  is  included  in  President 
McKay's  addresses.  Abundant  Life, 
Character,  Education,  Happiness, 
Home  Life,  and  Family,  Jesus  Christ, 
Peace,  Prayer,  Priesthood,  Salvation, 
Teaching,  War,  Youth,  are  but  a 
few  picked  from  the  great  number 
of  vital  topics  under  which  the  ad- 
dresses are  organized.— M.  C.  /. 

FINDING  YOUR  FOREFATHERS 
IN  AMERICA 

Archibald  F.  Bennett.  Bookcraft, 
Salt  Lake  City.  1957.  444  pages. 
$3.95. 

Successful  genealogical  research  is 
the  result  of  carefully  laid  plans,  and 
in  this  volume  plans  are  carefully 
explained  which  will  assure  skill  in 
research.  As  the  author  himself 
states  in  his  "page  to   the   reader": 


DECEMBER   1957 


THERE'S   COMPANIONSHIP 
In  A  Home  That  Has  A 

HAMMOND  ORGAN 


•  DISCOVER  AN    EXCITING   NEW   HOBBY! 

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A  welcome  gift  for  Christmas  or  any  occasion 
$2.50  in  the  U.S.  $3.00  foreign 


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Ask  your  doctor  about  Special 
Morning  Milk  for  your  baby! 


Bind  your  Eras  for  your  own  permanent  record  of  the  Church 
Watch  for  announcement  of  1957  index 


"You  can  be  a  successful  re- 
searcher in  the  field  of  genealogy. 

"If  you  qualify  yourself  and  pains- 
takingly follow  the  right  methods  it 
is  your  high  privilege  to  experience 
the  heart-warming  thrill  and  the 
joyous  fascination  of  finding  the 
families    of  your   own   forefathers." 

When  we  realize  that  it  is  our 
responsibility  to  link  generation  to 
generation  in  the  lines  of  our  an- 
cestors, we  need  to  bestir  ourselves 
in  this  great  activity— assigned  to  us 
as  a  command  with  the  return  of 
Elijah  restoring  the  keys  for  this 
work.— M.  C.  /. 

THE  MORMON  STORY 

A  Pictorial  Account  of  Mormonism 
Rulon    S.    Howells.    Bookcraft,    Salt 
Lake  City.  1957.  180  pages.  $3.95. 

The  Mormon  Story,  chiefly 
through  pictures,  gives  an  account 
of  the  history  and  development  of 
the  Church.  The  organization  and 
history  are  readily  grasped  in  this 
dramatic  presentation  through  the 
use  of  pictures,  maps,  and  charts. 

Hundreds  of  rare  photographs  and 
six  full  pages  in  color  serve  to  make 
this  book  a  rare  treasure  which 
should  be  included  in  Latter-day 
Saint  libraries.— M.  C.  /. 

OTHERS 

Laura  McCurdy  Clark.  Brigliam 
Young  University  Press,  Provo,  Utah. 
142  pages.  $4.00'. 

History  comes  to  life  through  the 
people  who  lived  it,  and  in  this  book, 
Others,  Mrs.  Clark  has  done  a  rare 
job  of  repainting  the  early  days  in 
Utah  through  the  firsthand  material 
she  has  collected.  In  addition  to 
the  running  comments  on  the  his- 
tory, she  has  preserved  newspaper 
clippings  of  on-the-spot  events  and 
people  and  places  which  could 
probably  not  be  found  in  any  other 
book  today. 

To  old-timers  the  book  will  afford 
nostalgia;  to  the  young  it  will  arouse 
interest  in  early-day  history.  This 
is  the  kind  of  source  material  that 
would  help  lay  a  foundation  for 
history  and  literature.— M.  C.  /. 


The  love  of  books  is  a  love  which 
requires  neither  justification,  apol- 
ogy, nor  defence. 

— Langford 


968 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


On  Acquiring  Memories 


Richard  L.  Evans 


THE 

SPOKEN 

WORD 


Many  centuries    ago,   Cicero   wrote  a   remarkable 
essay,  on  old  age,  which  has  in  it  as  much  of  wis- 
dom for  youth  as  for  those  who  are  older:  ".  .  .  the 
harvest  of  old  age,"  he  said,  "is  ...  the  memory  and 
rich  store  of  blessings  laid  up  in  earlier  life."1     An 
observation  by  an  unknown  author  suggests  some  further  thinking 
on  this  same  subject:    "When  saving  for  old  age,"  he  said,  "be  sure 
you  put  away  a  few  pleasant  thoughts."2     And  sometime  ago  we 
cited  this  sentence  from  the  eminent  scientist,  Gustaf  Stromberg: 
".  .  .  the  memory  of  an  individual  is  written  in  indelible  script  in 
space  and  time."3     This  suggests  that  all  men,  whether  they  live 
short  lives  or  long,  should  prepare  for  a  long  journey— everlastingly 
long-for  at  that  moment  when  the  Lord  God  says  we  have  lived 
our  length  of  mortal  life  there  is  a  sharp  separation  between  what 
we  can  take  with  us  into  eternity  and  what  we  can  keep  only  for 
time.    The  Lord  God  gave  us  the  good  things  of  the  earth  to  enjoy 
with  "prudence  and  thanksgiving,"  but  earnestly  we  need  to  keep 
a  balance  in  our  lives  between  what  we  can  keep  forever,  and  what 
is  needful  only  now.     The  happiest  harvest  for  time  or  eternity 
includes  character  and  knowledge,  truth  and  intelligence,  the  satis- 
faction of  service,  respect,  and  trust;  the  love  and  goodness  and 
purity  laid  up  in  life,  and  the  assurance  of  peace  and  a  quiet  con- 
science, of  everlasting  progress,  and  of  renewal  of  association  with 
loved  ones.    And  in  acquiring  memories  of  our  own,  and  in  making 
them  for  others,  the  whole  long  and  everlasting  length  of  life  should 
be  taken  into  account:  with  memories-  of  friends,  of  loved  ones,  of 
service  given,  of  the  keeping  of  the  commandments,  memories  of 
high  standards  and  courage  and  conviction,  ( memories  that  will  let 
us  look  unflinchingly  into'the  eyes  of  every  man  we  meet,  and  unto 
him  who  is  the  Judge  and  Father  of  us  all ) .    Since  memory  is  writ- 
ten "indelibly  in  time  and  space"  there  are  some  kinds  of  memories 
we  should  remember  not  to  make,  and  some  beautiful  memories 
we  should  remember  to  make  for  old  age-and'for  all  the  ages  after- 
memories  written  on  the  everlasting  record  that  would  be  kindly 
to  recall. 

"The  Spoken  Word,"  from  Temple  Square  presented  over  KSL  and  the 
Columbia  Broadcasting  System,  October   13,    1957,  Copyright  1957. 


See   page  971   for   footnotes. 


UNRETURNING  FRIENDS 

by  Eva  Willes  Wangsgaard 

Three  friends  return  and  offer  grace  to  you 
Though  you  may  be  remiss  in  giving  thanks: 
The  sun  will  come  again  to  gild  the  dew 
Or  coax  the  green  from  whitened  river  banks; 
Your  mother's  love  will  cushion  every  fall 
Though  you  may  prove  unworthy  under  stress; 
And  night  will  drape  a  star-embroidered  shawl 
About  your  form  to  shield  your  weariness. 

But  these  when  lost  are  gone  from  soul  and  sight: 
A  love  whose  long-neglected  flame  has  grayed, 
The  purity  that  once  has  suffered  blight, 
And  time  whose  hurried  feet  are  never  stayed. 
The  latter  may  be  friends  throughout  your  years, 
But  once  offended  will  not  heed  your  tears. 


"The  Lord  had  me  in  mind" 


"The  Lord  used  a  copy  of  the  Pilgrim  edi- 
tion of  the  Bible  in  winning  me  to  himself. 
I  had  been  a  church  member  for  some 
twenty-five  years  but  I  had  not  experienced 
regeneration.  After  I  read  Revelation  with 
accompanying  footnotes  and  Scripture  refer- 
ences in  the  Pilgrim  edition  I  began  to  gain 
some  insight  into  the  meaning  of  the  Scrip- 
tures; and  I  had  a  genuine  experience  with 
Christ.  I  felt  the  Lord  had  me  in  mind  when 
he  laid  it  upon  the  hearts  of  the  Bible 
scholars  who  labored  together  to  make  this 
wonderful  Pilgrim  Bible  available."  Geo. 
Wagner  Dimock,  Wichita  Falls,  Texas. 

The  Pilgrim  edition  of  the  Holy  Bible  explains  God's 
word  while  you  read.  It  was  prepared  by  Dr.  E. 
Schuyler  English,  noted  editor  and  Bible  teacher,  as- 
sisted by  37  distinguished  scholars.  It  contains  the 
complete  text  of  the  Authorized 
King  James  Version  and  all 
notes,  references  and  helps  ap- 
pear on  the  same  page  as  the 
verse  to  which  they  refer. 
Among  the  many  features  are 
introductions  to  each  book  of 
the  Bible,  chronologies,  com- 
prehensive index,  and  10  pages 
of  maps.  Size  S'/s"  x  ?%"■  In 
a  variety  of  bindings  from 
$5.50  to  $20.00  at  booksellers 
or  from  the  Oxford  University 
Press,  16-00,  Pollitt  Dr.,  Fair 
Lawn,  N.  J. 


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To  be  remembered  throughout  the  year 

an  Era  subscription  for  Christinas 


The  Dead  Sea  Scrolls 

(Continued)        following  168  BC. 

There  are  some  unusual  differ- 
ences in  spelling  and  in  grammar 
between  the  St.  Mark's  manuscript 
and  the  traditional  Hebrew  or 
Masoretic.  text  which  make  then- 
substantial  agreement  in  words  a 
remarkable  fact.  When  we  con- 
sider that  a  thousand  years  elapsed 
between  the  writing  of  the  newly 
found  text  of  Isaiah  and  the  oldest 
complete  Hebrew  medieval  text 
available  to  us  before,  we  are  led 
to  marvel  that  so  few  alterations  in 
text  took  place.  The  St.  Mark  manu- 
script is  therefore  of  great  impor- 
tance, so  scholars  think,  in  attesting 
the  fidelity  of  the  traditional  text  of 
Isaiah. 

Another  important  value  which 
the  Isaiah  scroll  might  be  presumed 
to  possess  would  be  in  the  realm  of 
textual  criticism.  When  the  recent 
Standard  Bible  Revision  Committee 
(Old  Testament  section)  was  con- 
sidering the  translation  of  Isaiah,  it 
had  before  it  the  variant  readings  of 
the  Isaiah  scroll.  According  to  Dr. 
Millar  Burrows,  the  committee 
adopted  thirteen  readings  where  the 
scroll  departed  from  the  traditional 
text.  Dr.  Burrows  now  confesses 
that  even  in  these  thirteen  places  the 
superiority  of  the  scroll's  readings  is 
not  always  certain,  and  he  further 
admits  that  in  some  cases  where  he 
probably  voted  for  an  emendation 
he  is  now  convinced  that  the  deci- 
sion of  the  committee  was  a  mis- 
take.4 

(To  be  concluded) 


Christmas,  Christmas 

(Continued)  small  hours  of  a 
Christmas  not  so  long  ago  as  I  nerv- 
ously sewed  the  last  stitches  on  an 
Indian  chieftain's  elegant  white 
headdress.  The  stores  had  nothing 
good  enough  for  my  five-year-old 
chief,  so  I  had  decided  to  create  my 
own.  I  collected  dozens  of  wet 
odorous  feathers  from  the  poultry 
places,  brought  them  home,  plunged 
them  into  steaming  soapsuds  and 
cleansed  them  thoroughly,  then 
spread  them  on  newspapers  under 
my  bed  to  dry.  That  was  the  only 
place  I  could  conceal  them  from  the 
curiosity  of  my  children.  I  can 
easily  remember  the  odor  of  those 


970 


THE  IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


feathers  as  they  dried  for  days  under 
my  bed.  But  later  I  was  delighted 
at  finding  them  soft  and  snowy  and 
worthy  to  be  worn  by  the  proudest 
Indian  brave.  Oh,  Christmas,  Christ- 


mas 


But  there  are  many  things  about 
Christmas  I  do  not  have  to  remem- 
ber, for  they  are  with  me  now,  to- 
morrow, and  always. 

Always  there  is  the  heartache  of 
knowing  that  many  little  stockings 
will  be  empty  on  Christmas  morning 
and  trusting,  innocent  little  children 
will  wonder  why  Santa  passed  them 
by. 

Always  there  is  the  same  grati- 
tude in  my  soul  for  the  blessings  un- 
numbered that  God  has  bestowed 
on  me  and  mine. 

Always  there  is  the  same  deter- 
mination to  strive  again  and  again, 
to  follow  the  example  of  Jesus. 


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS : 

Brigham    Young    Univ. 912 

John  Davenport   ....885,  896,  906,  907,  922,   962 

Kay    Knight 916,    928 

Harold    M.    Lambert 932 

Ed    Maryon    ..931 

News  Features  Photo  890 

Oriental   Institute  of  University   of  Chicago  ....910 

H.    Armstrong   Roberts    909,    921 

Hal    Rumel    935 

Three   Lions   911,   920,   924 

Lorin    Wiggins 902,    914 

FOOTNOTES    AND  REFERENCES 
FOR  ARTICLES: 

Your   Question 

^he    Improvement   Era    56:391    (June    1953); 
Answers  to   Gospel  Questions,  Vol.   1,  page    163. 
2D  &  C  130:5. 
sIbid.,  7. 
"Hebrews  13:2. 

^Teachings  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  pp. 
170-171. 

eIbid.,  p.  191. 

Jesus    Returns    to    Jerusalem 

Scriptural  references  for  Jesus  Returns  to  Jeru- 
salem, page  918,  are  from  Matthew  20,  2i; 
Mark  11;  Luke    19,  and  John   12. 

The  Dead   Sea   Scrolls 

xAs  quoted  by  F.  F.  Bruce,  Second  Thoughts 
on  the  Dead  Sea  Scrolls,  p.  15.  For  a  reliable 
account  of  the  scrolls  see  also  the  book  by  Dr. 
Millar  Burrows,  The  Dead  Sea  Scrolls,  Viking 
Press. 

2Bruce,  op.   cit,,  p.    19. 

•'See    Sperry,    Our   Book    of    Mormon,    Chapter 
Fourteen;  also  The  Improvement  Era  42:524-594. 
"Burrows,  The  Dead  Sea  Scrolls,  p.   305. 

The  Spoken  Word 

On  Acquiring  Memories 

aCicero,   On   Old  Age. 

^Author   Unknown. 

3Gustaf   Stromberg,  The   Soul   of  the   Universe. 


DECEMBER   1957 


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971 


The  Last  Word 


As  a  small  boy  was  preparing  for  his  first  day  at 
school  his  pleasure  in  the  new  lunch  box  was  being 
spoiled  by  concern  that  he  would  not  be  able  to 
identify  it.  His  mother  had  carefully  printed  his  name 
on  the  box,  but  of  course,  as  yet,  he  could  not  read. 

Suddenly  his  face  lighted  up  as  he  exclaimed;  "Oh, 
I  won't  be  using  my  lunch  box  until  noon,  and  by 
then  I'll  know  how  to  read!" 


There  is  no  defeat  except  in  no  longer  trying.  There 
is  no  defeat  save  from  within,  no  really  insurmountable 
barrier  save  our  own  inherent  weakness  of  purpose. 

-Elbert  Hubbard 


Responsibilities  gravitate  to  the  person  who  can 
shoulder  them,  and  power  flows  to  the  man  who 
knows  how. 

-Elbert  Hubbard 


Dental  Patient;  "Why  does  a  small  cavity  feel  so 
large  to  the  tongue?" 

Dentist:  "Just  a  natural  tendency  of  the  tongue  to 
exaggerate!" 

Jones:  "How  long  was  your  last  hired  man  with 
you?" 

Smith:  "He  was  never  with  me.  He  was  against 
me  from  the  start." 


Those  who  expect  to  reap  the  blessings  of  freedom, 
must,  like  men,  undergo  the  fatigue  of  supporting  it. 

—Thomas  Paine 


There  is  no  good  arguing  with  the  inevitable.  The 
only  argument  available  with  an  east  wind  is  to  put 
on  your  overcoat. 

—James  Russell  Lowell 


The  fault  is  not  in  our  stars,  but  in  ourselves,  that 
we  are  underlings. 

—William  Shakespeare,  Julius  Caesar 


A  teacher  affects  eternity;  he  can  never  tell  where 
his  influence  stops. 

—Henry  Adams 


We'd  all  be  successful  if  we  followed  the  advice  we 
gave  the  other  fellow. 


Junior:    "Dad,  did  you  go  to  Sunday  School  when 
you  were  a  little  boy?" 

Dad:    "I  sure  did,  never  missed  a  Sunday." 
Junior:   "See,  Mom,  it  won't  do  me  any  good,  either." 


Let  the  farmer  forevermore  be  honored  in  his  call- 
ing; for  they  who  labor  in  the  earth  are  the  chosen 
people  of  God. 

—Thomas  Jefferson 


A  teacher's  one  greatest  asset  is  sympathy,  the  power 
to  feel  with  his  pupils  and  put  himself  in  their  places. 
Tasks  which  seem  easy  to  the  teacher  are  hard  for 
the  child.  Without  genuine  sympathy  one  will  never 
become  a  good  teacher. 

— H.  H.  Lowrey 


The  Sunday  School  teacher  was  reviewing  a  lesson. 
"Who  led  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt?" 

No  answer.  So  she  pointed  to  a  little  boy  at  the 
back  of  the  room  and  asked  him.  "It  wasn't  me,"  he 
said  timidly,  "we  just  moved  here  last  week." 


972 


THE   IMPROVEMENT  ERA 


1 


,w] 


"Mi  #»  :#»  :.\. 


The  Gift  that  Gives... and  Lives  Forever 

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